


Christmas on the Other Side

by Lumendea



Series: Guardians of the Universe [15]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Christmas Special, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27553438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumendea/pseuds/Lumendea
Summary: The Daleks have been defeated and the Bad Wolf has howled so the Doctor takes Rose home to see her mother and friends. But something strange is happening far above the Earth. Spock detects a space vessel ominously called the Titanic and when Rose receives a call from her future self things become easier and more complicated.
Relationships: Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler, The Doctor (Doctor Who)/Rose Tyler
Series: Guardians of the Universe [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/170732
Comments: 210
Kudos: 261





	1. After the Daleks

Christmas on the Other Side

By Lumendea

Chapter One: After the Daleks

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Welcome back! I hope no one went too deep into deprivation while I was gone. More importantly, I hope that everyone is still safe and healthy. My family had a serious health scare with my father in October (hence why I haven’t posted anything lately), but he thankfully has fully recovered and is back on his feet. If any of you are facing similar times, please know that my heart goes out to you.

This holiday special takes places immediately after Journeys in Space and Time and the events of the final episodes will be discussed. If you haven’t read those episodes, please go and read them.

……………

The Doctor kept a tight hold on Rose’s hand as they entered the medical bay. He’d already held off the examination longer than he should have, high on pure relief and joy at finally telling Rose that he loved her without external forces. She didn’t seem to mind his tight hold and wasn’t complaining about his need to check her over. He was grateful for that. The Doctor doubted that he could handle a fight over it. His emotions were too wild, and he was exhausted.

“So, what exactly happened?” Jack asked. He leaned against the wall of the med bay as Rose sat down on the examination bed. “I mean…. I died.” Jack shuddered. “I’m sure that I did.”

“Rose brought you back,” the Doctor answered. He moved a scanner over to Rose. “She absorbed the Time Vortex; no one is meant to do that and used its power to restore you.” Rose rolled her eyes and started to move. “Stay still,” the Doctor ordered. He pretended not to notice when she raised an eyebrow, but she did still, and he was able to turn on the scanner.

“That’s a thing then, huh?” Jack asked.

The Doctor was grateful that Jack seemed just as lost as he was. The young man showed no signs of injury, and the Doctor glanced over at him. “You’ll be next,” the Doctor told him firmly. “What Rose did…” he shook his head. “Not even the Time Lords tried that at the end of the Time War.”

“I was supposed to,” Rose said. “It was a time loop, Doctor. I couldn’t not do it.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Do you understand how dangerous it was?”

“Probably not,” Rose admitted. She eyed the device that was scanning her as a faint blue beam moved over her body. “But… before I did it, there was this pressure in my head, and I heard singing.” Rose frowned, her gaze a thousand miles away. “I’ve heard that song before. When I’ve looked in rifts in the past.”

The Doctor exhaled. That actually made a little bit of sense. He was grateful for that. She shouldn’t have survived. Rose should have died. No, he wouldn’t have let that happen. He’d have taken the Time Vortex out of her and regenerated before ever allowing that to happen. The Doctor would have gladly traded his current life for her single one. He was grateful it hadn’t been necessary, but that didn’t mean that he fully understood what had happened.

“Your previous encounters might have helped you build up a tolerance,” the Doctor admitted. “My species… our evolution was largely influenced by a rift on Gallifrey. It’s why we have extra senses in regard to time.” The Doctor was surprised. It was easier to talk about Gallifrey right now than it had been before. Grief really did slowly get easier. Who would have thought? “Normally, I wouldn’t have assumed that it would work that fast, but it did start when you were younger, and your brain finished developing having been influenced by rifts.”

“So, it was like my telepathy.”

“A bit, but that doesn’t mean it was dangerous. Using the Time Vortex would force me to regenerate.” The Doctor swallowed and looked at the scan results. “And yet, you’re fine.” He exhaled and shook his head in shock. “Somehow, you are fine.”

Rose nodded. She didn’t seem surprised. The Doctor wanted to shake her. How could she have done something so dangerous? But he didn’t. He’d used his freebie apparently and wasn’t interested in making Rose angry today. Jack was grinning at the side of the room, but there was worry in his eyes as well. They shared a look, silently agreeing to keep a close eye on Rose.

“I saw that,” Rose sighed. “But, I’ll deal with you two in hover protective mode for a little bit.” Rose paused and nibbled on her lower lip. “I remember what happened, but it’s kind of hazy. I think… did I fix Earth?”

“Sort of,” Jack said. “You brought the people the Daleks had killed back. The buildings are still destroyed.”

“That makes sense,” Rose said. She didn’t look happy but nodded as if figuring something out. “Dalek lives for human lives.” Then, before the Doctor could try to sort out how Rose knew that, she sighed loudly and hopped off the examination table. “Still, doesn’t confirm my theory. Not yet, at least.”

“What theory?” the Doctor asked.

“Timelines,” Rose replied. Before he could get too frustrated, she leaned up and kissed him softly. Then she gave him one of those horrible soft smiles, and his expression made Jack laugh. “You’re up, Jack.” Rose pointed at the examination table, and Jack obediently took her place for a checkup.

The Doctor struggled to stay focused on Jack. After the emotional rollercoaster, it was tempting to keep hold of her though he knew she wouldn’t like that. Thankfully, Rose stayed close, sitting in the small chair in the far corner where he and Jack would be able to see her. She was calm and started humming softly. The song was familiar, and the Doctor’s hearts twisted, and he realized that it was similar to what he’d heard from the Temporal Schism on Gallifrey. How much had Rose been affected by all those time rifts? He suddenly wanted to go back in time and get brain scans of her over the years like those repair droids had done with Reinette. But he should discuss that with Rose first.

“She’s okay,” Jack whispered to him. He could hear the relief and worry in the lad’s voice.

The Doctor turned his attention back to Jack. “She is.” Saying the words out loud settled the uneasy emotions in him a little.

“I don’t know what to make of it either,” Jack admitted. “And I died.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Jack exhaled and shivered. “Worse reasons to die.”

The Doctor didn’t know how to tell Jack that at the last moment, he hadn’t been able to use the Delta Wave. The words caught in his throat. He wanted to be honest. He wanted to tell his companion, who had been so brave. Jack met his gaze and frowned. The scanner beeped, and the Doctor looked down at it.

“You’re reading normal,” he said loudly. “But I’d like a blood sample from both of you so the TARDIS can run a more in-depth check.”

“And if there is something wrong with me?” Jack asked. “There might be with all the humans.”

“I don’t think so,” Rose said softly. She joined them and held out her hand to the Doctor. “But Jack… he might be a bit different from the others. I’m not sure what has happened yet.” The Doctor could tell that she wanted to say something but wasn’t sure if it was safe. “I’m sorry.”

“I hate messy timelines,” Jack grumbled.

“Sometimes I do too,” Rose agreed.

The Doctor took her hand and used a small 31st-century blood collector to get his sample. It was sterile and was so fast that Rose didn’t even feel any pain. She blinked when he released her hand and grinned in fascination as she examined her fingertip. Jack laughed at the “old technology” but didn’t argue. The Doctor preferred methods that worked. Some of the medical tech from Jack’s era was more of a step backward. Hybrids were great in theory, but they did complicate medicine. Lucky for him, the TARDIS medical banks were more than able to analyze Jack’s very mixed ancestry.

“I’d like to go and see my Mum,” Rose said. “She and my friends helped me open the TARDIS. They have to be worried about me.” She exhaled and shook her head. “My departure was… unsettling to everyone.”

“Okay,” the Doctor agreed easily. He was surprised at the idea that Jackie had helped, but despite their differences, he could only imagine how worried the woman must be. “We won’t be able to arrive too close to when you left,” he said. “Opening the Time Vortex would have impacted that point in Space-Time.”

“I understand. Please, just get as close as possible. I hate the idea of them worrying about me longer than necessary.”

The Doctor pulled her into a hug. Rose immediately relaxed against him, and he closed his eyes. This was nice. It was better than nice. He hadn’t felt this relaxed and content in a long time. Without thinking, he kissed her forehead. Rose titled her face up to look at him and smiled. Her earlier irritation with him over sending her away seemed to be gone now, and he took advantage of her good mood to kiss her again. Once they got to Earth, that might get much more complicated.

“I’m going to grab a quick shower,” Jack said softly. He ducked out of the room, and the Doctor was grateful for the privacy.

“I’m sorry I upset you by sending you away,” the Doctor said.

“But not sorry that you did it.”

“No,” he admitted. Of course, she’d noted that. “It was the Daleks, Rose. It’s… it’s harder with them.”

She kissed his jaw, and he felt her relax. “As I said, you get a free pass this time, but don’t do that again. I want to be able to trust that you aren’t going to lie to me.”

The Doctor flinched. It was deserved. He couldn’t regret it. If things had gone differently, then, Earth and all of them might be dead. And he would have had to witness her death. The thought made him sick.

“I’ll do better. This is new for me. It’s been a long time since I was…” he trailed off.

“In a relationship?”

“Yes.”

Rose chuckled. “Been a while for me too.” She sounded amused, and the Doctor wasn’t sure what to think about that. Rose had made references to a relationship in the past but never provided details. He didn’t like the jealousy curling in his gut and shoved it away. “But I doubt much will change. Beyond us sharing a room in the future, when we’re ready.”

The Doctor coughed at that comment and knew his ears were red. Rose laughed out loud so he couldn’t be cross. Yes, it would be different, but they’d been moving this direction for years. He was… uneasy, but determined not to run. Not this time. That would be difficult. He’d been running for centuries, never standing still. But Rose didn’t want to stand still; she wanted to run with him, so he just had to mind his pace.

“I’ll do my best.”

“I know. And there’s still no rush.”

The Doctor held her for another long moment before finally easing his grip. “London?”

Rose nodded and gave him a beaming smile. “Thank you.”

He didn’t let go of Rose’s hand until they were back in the console room. Jack gave him a knowing smile, and the Doctor cursed his red ears. His hands began to set the course to London, and he caught Rose frowning at the console. When he released her hand to have use of both of his, Rose touched a section of the console.

“Rose?”

“I uh, I opened the TARDIS,” Rose said. “I thought there would be damage.”

The Doctor wasn’t sure what to make of that, but Rose seemed to have been correct about a time loop. “TARDIS is very durable,” he offered. “She’s fine.” He paused and debated if it was wise to tell her his suspicions. “I doubt you would have been able to open the TARDIS if she didn’t want you to. She’s alive as you know and more than capable of protecting herself.”

Rose frowned slightly, her brow furrowing adorably. Then she nodded. “That fits.” He almost asked that she meant by that. “Well, shall we?”

The Doctor almost asked if they could put it off. Jackie was sure to pick up that something had changed between them, and he didn’t know how to even start explaining. Maybe they could visit once there had been time to figure out where he and Rose stood. But… he remembered how worried he’d been at what Rose had done. It wasn’t right to leave that on the other people who cared about her for any longer than they had to. Guilt wasn’t something he wanted Rose to feel.

So, he finished setting the controls, telling Rose what he was doing as he did, and ignoring Jack’s smirk. It was for the best that Rose learn more about flying the TARDIS, really piloting her and not just keeping her steady in the Time Vortex. Emergency Program One had been a good idea, but he’d now seen exactly the lengths Rose would go to if she felt it was necessary. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. A conflicted mess churned in his gut, and the Doctor was very aware of how his fellow Time Lords would have looked down on his situation.

The flight was smooth, and with a soft thump, the time ship landed. Rose grabbed the viewing screen with flickered on to reveal her mum’s back garden. There was a dusting of snow on the ground. The Doctor checked the date and smiled, but before he could tell Rose the date, she was out the door.

“Mum!” he heard her shout.

“You ready for this?” Jack asked.

“No,” the Doctor grunted. He looked at Jack as he straightened up. “Just don’t let Jackie kill me.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Jack promised.

That was as good as he was going to get. The door of the TARDIS was slightly ajar, and through it, he could see Jackie embracing Rose and rocking her in a desperate embrace. He sighed softly and wondered if he should just wait here until Rose gave the all-clear. Jackie was speaking around frantic sobs that made her almost impossible to understand as Rose tried to calm her down. Jack gave him a look, not even bothering to hide his amusement at the Doctor’s hesitation. With a glare, the Doctor pulled out his sonic and zapped Jack’s Vortex Manipulator.

“What the-.”

“She kills me. You’re stuck here,” the Doctor grumbled.

Nothing to do but go outside. Rose had shaken Jackie off of her somehow and had turned back towards the TARDIS. The Doctor almost didn’t leave to join her, but then Rose’s eyes caught his through the opening, and he found himself walking out of the TARDIS. Time to face the music.


	2. Christmas at Home

Christmas on the Other Side

By Lumendea

Chapter Two: Christmas at Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Thank you so much for all the warm wishes. You are all lovely! My father is doing very well at this point. Still a touch weak, but he’s being shockingly reasonable and careful as he regains his strength. Please stay safe as we keep dealing with COVID-19 and maybe give a family member a call just to tell them that you love them.

…………………..

Jackie ignored the Doctor and Jack as they stepped out of the TARDIS, keeping all of her focus on Rose. The Doctor didn’t blame her for that. The sharp memory of clinging to Rose himself was still vibrant in his memory. Disbelief, relief, and hope all swirling together in a storm of emotions he still hadn’t fully made sense of. He couldn’t imagine what it had been like to let Rose leave, knowing she was heading into danger.

Not that he hadn’t let her walk into some dangerous circumstances. A certain dragon immediately came to mind. And that had been hard. But he’d understood what was happening, and Jackie… well, maybe he wasn’t being fair to her, the Doctor allowed. Rose wouldn’t have lied about what was happening to her mum. But he doubted any of them really understood the risk Rose had undertaken in opening the TARDIS.

Skye hit Rose hard and fast, knocking her back several steps in a rush of excited chatter and some tears. Immediately, Rose hugged the young teenager, noting that Skye had gained a few inches and, while still not tall, wasn’t short any longer. Smiling softly, Rose rocked the girl as she started crying.

“We thought you weren’t coming back!” Skye cried out. “Mum said you would, but I didn’t believe her. I’m sorry.”

That set her mum off again. Jackie started crying and stepped forward to hug them both. Rose held back her own tears, but the rush of relief from them was hard to overcome. More people entered the garden, and Rose looked over to see Sarah Jane and Luke. Her godson visibly relaxed at the sight of her, and Sarah Jane grinned broadly. A moment later, they rushed forward to help pull Skye off of her.

“See, Skye,” Sarah Jane said. “Rose is back, safe, and sound.” She looked at Rose and then the TARDIS. “Are the Doctor and Jack alright?”

“We’re fine,” Jack said. He poked his head out as the TARDIS doors opened wider. The Doctor leaned against the door opening. “There was strangeness, but we’re okay.”

“Good,” Sarah Jane said. Her own eyes were a bit watery, and she stepped forward when Jackie released her hold on Rose to give her a quick hug. “You had us worried.” When she let go of Rose, she went to the Doctor, who accepted her hug without any protests. It was nice. He was surprised how nice it was to have her here and so grateful for him to be safe. “What took you so long to check in?” Sarah Jane asked, trying to be stern. He could see the relief and tears in her eyes. “I know you’re a bad driver-”

“Hey,” the Doctor huffed. It was a little too much for him. “This is not on me!”

Sarah Jane’s eyes softened, and she backed away, giving him some breathing room. It helped, but Jackie shifted and drew his attention back to her and Rose. His companion was looking at him gently, and the Doctor knew she knew that he was overwhelmed.

“Well,” Jackie sighed. “At least you’re home now. And just in time for Christmas!”

“It’s Christmas?” Rose asked blankly. She blinked and looked towards the house, but there weren’t any decorations in the back.

“Christmas afternoon, in fact,” Jackie said happily. Now that the shock had passed, she was glowing with pleasure. “I’ve got dinner cooking, And now we have even more good news to celebrate!”

“I’m sorry that I scared everyone,” Rose said gently. “We’ll stay a few days.” She looked back at him, and the Doctor nodded. He wasn’t going to argue, not right now. “It’ll give the Doctor a chance to make sure I didn’t break his precious time ship.” Rose gave him her tongue touched smile, and he rolled his eyes but was pleased that she was comfortable enough to joke about what had happened.

“Well, you missed a lot,” Skye said. The girl started tugging on Rose’s hand, guiding her towards the house. Rose nodded and went along willingly as Skye started talking about her school classes and a recent trip to a museum. Luke joined in, even talking over his sister.

To his surprise, Jackie didn’t follow Rose. Instead, she turned towards him and studied him. The Doctor was frozen in place. Jackie had never looked at him like that before. He’d seen her angry and tearful for Rose to stay. He’d seen her scared and confused. The Doctor had never seen her so thoughtful and fought the desire to back away.

Jackie walked over to him as Rose vanished inside the house with Skye still hanging off of her and Luke talking in a rush. Sarah Jane glanced back at them, her too clever eyes searching the Doctor’s face. She smiled, and the Doctor almost called after her. Jack cleared his throat and hurried after them, leaving the Doctor with Jackie.

“Sorry, I couldn’t bring her back sooner,” he offered. “I just finished a medical check on her to make sure she was alright and then brought her straight here.”

“Thank you,” Jackie replied. She was staring at him, and it was unsettling. He wasn’t used to families anymore, and even in the past had usually avoided them, so he had no idea what the woman was thinking. “You tried,” Jackie sighed. “I’ll give you credit for that. You sent her back. Not your fault that she’s stubborn.”

The Doctor was stunned. That was not what he’d been expecting to hear. “She knows her own mind,” he said carefully.

Jackie snorted and looked towards the house. “That’s putting it lightly. But couldn’t you have brought her back sooner! It’s been over a month! Over a month of not knowing!”

“Sorry.” The Doctor found he meant it. There was a shine of tears in Jackie’s eyes that he hated having helped put there. He was also very aware that he’d need to interact with the woman more now, even if the idea was a bit horrifying. “What Rose did… it impacted a range of space and time around it. I don’t think the TARDIS was safe coming anytime closer to the event.”

“Like a buffer zone?” Jackie asked. She was frowning thoughtfully. “Have to stay away to prevent a collusion?”

“Exactly.” That was very correct, actually, but the Doctor wasn’t going to let his surprise show. “Still, sorry that you had to worry.” He truly meant it. Jackie had never had an easy time with Rose and being worried for her daughter. “I would have spared you that if I could have.”

“Well… I guess I should just get used to it,” Jackie said softly. She sounded resigned. “She’s never going to leave now. I knew she wouldn’t, but with you two…” Jackie eyed him, anger and frustration flashing in her eyes. “Together now, she’ll definitely never stay.” The Doctor was surprised that Jackie had picked it up. He could feel his ears warming up but refused to let his expression change. “I know you love her. Guess that’s good enough. At least for now.”

It wasn’t the most flattering statement or even a real blessing, but coming from Jackie, he knew it was worth a lot. He wasn’t what he would have chosen for Rose either, but it wasn’t either of their choices to make. Rose had decided, and he was too grateful to be the one she’d chosen to try to leave. He was tempted to ask Jackie how she knew. They’d just arrived, and she’d already picked up that something had changed. But the Doctor didn’t ask. If it was obvious, he wasn’t sure that he wanted to know.

Jackie gave him one last long look. He could tell that she wanted to threaten him, but knowing Sarah Jane, she was probably aware of how meaningless her threats could be. Of course, Rose loved her and listened to her at least a little, so Jackie had more influence than she knew. He nodded respectfully, unsure of the social cues that would best help him get through this conversation. Nut then, Jackie turned away from him and headed into the house. No slap, no warning beyond the ominous “at least for now.”

Jack was still hovering nearby. The Doctor glanced at him and found his companion fighting back a grin. Glaring at him, the Doctor grumbled and debated his next course of action. He could stay with the TARDIS and start his checks or go inside, at least for a little while. Rose was certainly busy with her family, but he hadn’t told her that he was going to work on the TARDIS. If she noticed he was gone, she’d probably assume that but was that good enough given… whatever they were now? He really wasn’t comfortable with most of the words that humans would use and had no clue which one Rose would favor. If she even would. They’d always just been the Doctor and Rose Tyler. In the TARDIS together. Was it necessary to give it a label?

“Wow,” Jack chuckled. “I can hear the gears sputtering in your brain.” The Doctor glared at him, and Jack shrugged. “Let’s go inside and make sure she gets settled first. Then you can sneak off for a bit. She won’t mind.”

Oddly, Jack’s reassurance of that helped. With that decided, the Doctor followed Jackie into the house. The first group hadn’t made it very far, with Rose trying to direct everyone into the living room, but Skye and Luke just kept talking to her. She was listening with a patient smile as Sarah Jane tried steering her daughter into the sitting room without any success. Skye had grown a few inches and seemed determined to stick close to Rose. Jackie had turned her attention to the oven but kept smiling over at Rose.

There were too many people in the kitchen, and the Doctor moved further into the house to breathe. He caught Rose’s eye as he passed her, and she smiled at him. Jack hung back, and the Doctor sighed in relief as he reached the front of the house. It was all a little too domestic in here, even if he could understand everyone’s relief.

He looked around the room. It wasn’t quiet, but it was better than the kitchen. Here and there he could see signs of Rose in the house, but it lacked the vibrancy of her bedroom on the TARDIS. It lacked a true impression of Rose, which made the Doctor oddly happily. Maybe it was cruel to Jackie, but it underlined how much the TARDIS was Rose’s home.

Studying the photos of Rose around the room, the Doctor smiled at Rose’s familiar smile. Jackie had well over a dozen photos hanging on the wall. There were photos of the pair of them together, one at the Brighton Pavilion and several at their old flat. More recent photos featured more of Mickey, Shireen, and Sharon with Rose, and a few had just Mickey and Jackie. Some of them he’d seen in the house before, but others had recently been added.

He wandered further in, listening to the sounds of Rose’s domestic life. It wasn’t too bad. There was an itch building to get out before he got roped into anything. But it wasn’t too bad yet. He heard Rose laugh at something and smiled a little. The Doctor stopped in front of the painting of Lumen. A soft huff escaped him. Hysterical laughter bubbled up in his chest, but he kept it in. The image now made sense. Hadn’t he wondered when he first saw the painting about it. There was a TARDIS, and there was Rose, or maybe the Bad Wolf, front and center. Wearing the same clothes that Rose was still wearing. He remembered this painting, and yet, he hadn’t thought about it in years. That was an oversight now, and he could only feel stupid for it. But what could he have done? Rose had painted her own future.

His fingers touched the surface of the canvas before he thought better of it. Even knowing that he shouldn’t, the Doctor traced the ridges and peaks of the paint. It was solid beneath his fingers. A regular oil painting. Pulling his hand away, the Doctor stepped back and shook his head. He didn’t know what he’d expected.

But that was the problem. He was lacking data. This was all uncharted territory, both emotionally and mentally. Something major had happened to Rose. She had released the Time Vortex, but that glow had remained for a little longer. Was it an echo? Had she, in her great knowledge of time, released the Time Vortex while holding onto just enough to achieve her goals and still survive? Was that even possible?

Old stories about the Time Vortex replayed in the Doctor’s mind. Some conflicted. Despite centuries of study, millions of years of study, in fact, the Time Lords had a limited understanding of the Time Vortex’s power. And right now, what they had known was lost to him. He had no doubt that there were secrets that had been locked up on Gallifrey that might shed some light.

But he didn’t have any of that. The Doctor eyed the painting again. When he’d looked into the schism as a child, he’d seen an echo of his future. That glimpse had scared him and haunted him, leading to him running from his planet. Rose wasn’t a Time Lord or Gallifreyan, but this image must have come to her through a time schism.

Except… that didn’t fit. This hadn’t been an echo seen in a time schism. Rose had painted this before she’d ever looked into a time schism. How that was possible, he didn’t know, and he didn’t know how to find out without potentially harming her. The figure that had saved him twice stared back at him with glowing gold eyes that made the Doctor very, very nervous.


	3. Mum’s House

Christmas on the Other Side

By Lumendea

Chapter Three: Mum’s House

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…………………..

Rose had never been truly “at home” at her mum’s Bannerman Road address. It was a lovely brick house that in truth had been too large for her and Jackie when they first bought it, but Jackie had like the garden and the neighborhood. It had been a fulfillment of so many old dreams that Jackie had put away even if it was well suited. At the time, Rose had simply wanted her mum to have a safe place to live.

Rita Anne had helped make it a better fit when she was alive and nowadays, her old room was Mickey’s bedroom at the house. His adoption as Jackie’s son was finally complete on everything but the paperwork it seemed. Jackie’s friendship with Gita gave her someone close by and the odd, but real companionship she enjoyed with Sarah Jane had helped Jackie make it her home.

But for Rose, it had never been home in the way it was for her mum. Even as a teenager when she’d bought the house, Rose had known that she wouldn’t live there much. Her plans were for university and the universe. Once she knew for certain that she’d be traveling with the Doctor after finishing her degree, Rose had pulled back from thinking of this place as home even more. She did have many lovely memories here, but even her flat in Cambridge had been home more than this house was.

It was comfortable and the bedroom she had was nice. It was twice as big as the one she’d grown up in at the council flats. The place was quiet compared to what she had been used to and for a while that had actually bothered her. Rose had often found that she missed the old council flat from time to time. Yet, neither place had ever been home like the TARDIS was.

There was no dust in the room and Rose smiled at the realization that Jackie had been keeping the room clean for her. She glanced back towards the stairs with a soft smile as her mum’s voice drifted up from the kitchen. The bed was bare of sheets and a duvet, but Rose knew that fresh ones would be in the closet if she decided to sleep in her room. She wasn’t sure yet. It would help reassure her mum if Jackie could check on her so easily, but Rose knew that she would miss the hum of the TARDIS and the smell of her lilacs.

Rose pondered the room for a moment before picking up a brush and working out of the tangles in her hair. Somehow it had gotten knotted up in all the excitement and craziness. The sound of Jackie talking downstairs, probably on the phone with someone, helped Rose still feel connected despite her temporary retreat upstairs.

Setting down the brush, Rose studied her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t look different. There was a trace of bags under the eyes from the worry the Doctor’s stunt had inflicted on her, but she looked normal. Rose frowned and leaned forward, searching her own face intently.

Something had changed. Rose could feel it. She could almost taste it. The Doctor’s medical equipment hadn’t picked anything up, but Rose knew that there was a change. The words to explain it, even to herself, wouldn’t come. A soft sigh escaped her. Everything was fine. The Doctor and Jack were safe for now. Her mum was happy to see her for Christmas and she wasn’t harmed by absorbing the Time Vortex.

And yet. And yet, Rose had seen too much already in her life to think it was that simple. Her fingers itched to open her journal, but it was back at the TARDIS. Rose’s thoughts were a mess and an old suspicion was nagging at her, but she said nothing. The Guardians hadn’t shown themselves, not even when she did something so dangerous. Rose had to assume that everything that fine or at least she hadn’t broken anything. Black would have shown up and laughed at her about that.

“Rose?”

She turned to the doorway of her room. Sarah Jane was lingering there with a smile. “Glad to see that Luke and Skye gave you room to breathe.”

Rose laughed. “Oh, my godchildren are adorable.”

“Funny, that’s not how Alistair describes them,” Sarah Jane said drily. “He has other words.”

“Has he visited recently?” Rose asked.

“A couple of weeks ago. I’ve texted him to let him know that you’re back safe and sound, but I suspect that he’ll stay with his family for Christmas.”

“I hope so.” Rose wasn’t sure that she could cope with too many people descending. The Doctor was so far handling it alright, but she knew how quickly he could bolt. “How many people knew?”

“The whole club knew,” Sarah Jane said apologetically. “There was no way around that. I’ve sent out a group text to let them know you’re safe.”

Rose was surprised that her own phone hadn’t exploded with texts yet in response to everything that happened. “Huh… the TARDIS must be blocking my phone.” Rose pulled it out of her pocket. “I don’t have any calls or texts from worried mothers or friends.”

Sarah Jane shook her head. “Apparently, I greatly underestimated the TARDIS when I traveled in it.”

“Her,” Rose corrected as she put her phone away. She turned her attention back to tying her hair back in a simple braid. “The TARDIS is a her.”

Sarah Jane raised an eyebrow, but didn’t argue. “Rose, I know you just got home, but I wanted to ask you to take a look at Spock before I forget,” Sarah Jane said.

“Are there issues?”

“No, nothing like that.” Sarah Jane smiled. “And it isn’t urgent that you do it today, though I know he’d love to speak with you. I just like to know he’s alright.”

Rose swallowed. A knot formed in her stomach and she nodded quickly. Sarah Jane didn’t seem to notice her discomfort with the request as Skye chose that moment to yell up to her that her grandparents, the Chestertons were pulling up. Rose knew that she didn’t have long to recenter herself before Ian and Barbara would want to see her.

But Spock… Rose had known when she witnessed his end in the future that he was still alive in her home time, but she hadn’t thought about this moment. Sarah Jane was right that Spock was due to a check up to make sure everything was functioning smoothly, but that would mean talking with Spock and interacting with him.

“Rose?” Sarah Jane called. “You alright?”

“Yes,” Rose answered. It was a lie, but she wasn’t sure how else to answer.

Finishing with her hair, Rose retreated into the toilet and splashed some water on her face. It was cool and sharp. Her eyes found her reflection in the mirror again. A shiver rolled down Rose’s spine. How long had it been since she opened the TARDIS? The last day? Last two days? She wasn’t sure, but they had been a lot.

Rose could hear her mum in the kitchen talking loudly, talking with Gita over the phone by the sounds of it. Her mum’s happy tones washed over Rose and she smiled. She didn’t hear Skye or Luke and Sarah Jane was already gone to greet the Chestertons. The Doctor wasn’t in immediate view, but Rose found him near the doorway.

“Hey,” she greeted. “Everyone settled fast.”

“Yeah. Your mum muttered about food before she got on the phone,” the Doctor said absentmindedly. “I’m not sure where Jack went off to.” The Doctor looked around, looking vaguely uneasy. “Might have gone with Sarah.”  
  


He was distracted. Rose closed the distance between them and immediately caught on to what he was paying attention to. The painting of Lumen hung on the wall across from him. Rose waited for him to say something about the painting, but silence dragged on between them. Touching his arm, Rose shifted closer to him.

“Doctor?”

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” the Doctor asked. Turning to her, he shifted so her hand wasn’t dislodged. “You seem upset.”

It was sweet that he noticed. Rose smiled up at him. “Sarah Jane asked me to check on Spock while I’m here.”

The Doctor barely held back a grimace and felt like a fool. Rose hadn’t talked much about what had happened with Spock in the future, but he’d gotten the impression it had been more traumatic than Rose had let on. Even now, he felt that he should ask and try to understand, but feared pushing at such a recent wound. Rose was the one who always seemed to know how far to push on a painful subject.

“You don’t have to do it,” the Doctor offered. He took her hand and squeezed it. “I can check out the scan and his systems.”

“No,” Rose answered. She was looking at the ground and not at him. “No,” she repeated before inhaling deeply. “I don’t want to avoid him. It’s just… hard.” Swallowing, Rose struggled to find the words. “Given what I know is going to happen.”

“I know,” the Doctor whispered. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear gently. “Knowing someone’s future can be a terrible burden.”

There was so much in those words that Rose didn’t even know where to start. Nodding, she stepped closer and the Doctor opened his arms. She leaned against his chest and closed her eyes, letting his smell and warmth soothe her. For a blissful moment, with her eyes closed, Rose was able to relax and forget about the ugly things lurking around them.

But then, she opened her eyes and was looking in the direction of the painting. Memories of painting it came flooding back. The smell of the oil paints that had filled the entire estate, the thrill of excitement as it slowly came together despite her not having had a real plan at the start, and the pride of her creation. And all that had only been at the start. Then the Mona Lisa had brought it to life and she’d heard the words “Bad Wolf”. It might have even been for the first time. Rose wasn’t sure, but it was the moment that had solidified her noticing them.

“Life is complicated,” she grumbled. “Not bad, just complicated.”

“That is very true.” The Doctor sighed. “It sounds like, your mum and Sarah Jane are doing a big Christmas together.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  


“Sarah Jane said something about side dishes on her way to greet Ian and Barbara. I have concerns.”

“You can go to the TARDIS if you want,” Rose offered softly. She didn’t want him to go, but the idea of her mum, probably Mickey, and the Chesterton-Smiths are a lot even for her. “I wouldn’t blame you. Jack may have already retreated there.”

“I doubt it. That boy thrives on drama.”

Rose couldn’t help it. A laugh escaped her. That was one of the truest things she’d ever heard in her life. She heard her mum moving in the kitchen, but didn’t turn around. The Doctor shifted a little and Rose was very aware that Jackie might be looking out at them from the kitchen. Her mum hadn’t said anything about her relationship with the Doctor to her for a while, but this would likely spark another conversation.

“She picked up that things have changed,” the Doctor said softly. He kissed the top of her head. “Your mum.”

“What?” Rose looked up at him, more than a touch confused. “Really?”

“Yes, she talked to me about it. I don’t think she’d thrilled, but I don’t think she’d planning on killing me.”

“Good.” Rose leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to the Doctor’s lips. “I’m not ready for you to regenerate yet. Save those lives for when you really need them.”

“That’s flattering,” the Doctor said. His pleasure lit up his eyes and Rose knew that someday they’d need to have a conversation about regeneration, but this was not the day for it. “So… Spock?”

Rose released him and stepped back. The tips of the Doctor’s ears were red and Rose realized that as much as he wanted to comfort her, he probably found it a bit uncomfortable to do so in her mother’s entry. Everything was so new. They’d known each other for so long and yet, Rose was realizing that they’d need to find the new balance point. Before now, he wouldn’t have hesitated to hold her, even at her mum’s house but the context was different now. She couldn’t help but smile at him.

“Okay, let’s go and take care of Spock together.” Rose swallowed. “I don’t want to avoid him… that’s cruel and unfair to him.”

“It’s okay that it’s hard, Rose.”

“Thank you. I don’t want to hurt him by avoiding him. Just… stay if you can for a bit.”

“Gladly. It’s better than talking with your mum.”

“Hey,” Rose protested weakly. But she appreciated the humor. It helped. The Doctor’s blue eyes gleamed and Rose shook her head fondly. “One second. Let me warn Mum.”

The Doctor released her hand and Rose headed for the kitchen. There was a soft bang of a pot against the counter, but her mum’s train of speak never cut off.

“Honestly, that girl of mine,” Jackie said dramatically. “Swanning in and out. You’re lucky that Rani’s still too young for that Gita, but it’s coming. I warn you now. It’s coming! We raise them to be strong young women, but they never pay-”

“I’m not sure I like this conversation,” Rose cut in.   
  


Jackie looked at her sharply, narrowing her eyes at Rose for the cheek. “Mum,” Rose said. “We’re going to Sarah Jane’s to say hi to the Chestertons. I have my phone and I won’t be long.”  
  


“Alright, just be back for dinner. I’ve been slaving away you know.”  
  
Rose kept herself from rolling her eyes. It was tempting, but her mum’s good mood was too nice to mock. Though, Rose was a bit surprised that her mum wasn’t insisting she stay close. Pleasantly surprised and she wondered if it had something to go with her mum’s apparent observation of the change between her and the Doctor. It was just strange.

Jack had apparently slipped out with Sarah Jane. He was standing with the Chesterton-Smith, now including Johnny who had his arm around Sarah Jane’s waist and was listening to something that Ian was saying with wide eager eyes. It made Jack look a lot younger and terrified Rose. That was a friendship that did not need to happen.

“Should have locked him in the TARDIS,” the Doctor muttered.

“I’m not going to disagree with you, but think of the damage Jack could do if left alone too long,” Rose pointed out.

“That makes him sound like an overactive puppy… and I see it.” The Doctor’s lips twitched into a smile. He kept his grip on Rose’s hand as they crossed the street. “Do I want to know?” he asked loudly.

“Doctor!” Barbara swung around to look at him. Tears gleamed in her eyes and she stepped forward to hug the Doctor before he could say anything. “We’re glad you’re safe.”

The Doctor’s surprise was clear. He looked at Ian who just smiled in response. Sarah Jane was watching the affectionate exchange with a soft smile that Rose knew saw too much. The Doctor managed to recover from his surprise and lightly returned the hug before Barbara stepped back. She didn’t wait and swept Rose into a hug. Rose didn’t remember Barbara being such a hugger, but a month of no news seemed to have affected everyone. When Barbara was done, Ian stepped forward to hug Rose tightly. To the Doctor’s clear relief, Ian offered him a handshake rather than a hug.

“Good to see both of you. It’s a bloody good Christmas present.”

“Language, darling,” Barbara scolded with a nod towards Skye who was grinning at them all.

“Well, I need to get back to the kitchen,” Sarah Jane said. “And best everyone get out of the cold.” She turned her attention to Rose. “Your mum agreed on a shared meal. We’ll be eating over here.”

“I see.” Rose wasn’t sure when her mum and Sarah Jane had started getting on that well. One more thing that somewhat frightened her. “That’ll be nice, I suppose.”

“And you can tell us all at once what happened,” Barbara added. “I hope you appreciate how patient we are being.” Her eyes moved between Rose and the Doctor and then became a bit brighter. Rose wondered how people kept picking up on things. Or had Jack told them?

“Can I help with anything?” Jack asked Sarah Jane with a polite smile.

“There are some things that need to go over to Jackie’s,” Sarah Jane said. “If you’re willing, that will let Skye and Luke catch up with their grandparents.”

“I’m very willing.”

“Careful,” Johnny said. He wrapped his arm around Sarah Jane’s waist, but the smile on his face showed he wasn’t bothered. Sarah Jane just shook her head fondly.

Rose squeezed the Doctor’s hand and followed the others into the house. Skye’s attention had already been consumed by the presence of her grandmother. Ian was talking to Luke about his classes. Looking at the Doctor, Rose found him smiling fondly at the unfolding family chaos. Maybe this wouldn’t be as much of a disaster as she feared. Well, at least until dinner where apparently it would be open season on questions.

“Come on,” Rose said softly. “While we can escape.”

The Doctor followed Rose up the staircase. The warm voice of Skye eagerly telling her grandparents about the last days of term followed them up.


	4. Spock and Mickey

Christmas on the Other Side

By Lumendea

Chapter Four: Spock and Mickey

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…………………..

Sarah Jane’s attic hadn’t changed much since Rose had last been in it. A new throw had been put over the old sofa, and a few more family photos were scattered about. The room had been recently dusted and showed signs of Sarah Jane working on a new article at her desk with notes scattered around her computer.

K-9 was present and immediately rolled towards them. “Master!” the robot dog greeted with as much enthusiasm as his computerized voice could manage. His tail wagged, and his ear rotated. “Mistress Rose.”

“Hello, K-9,” the Doctor said. He patted the robot dog on the head, earing another wag of the metal tail.

“Hello, Rose, Doctor,” Spock greeted calmly. His smooth tone washed over Rose, and she wanted to run. Today was too emotional. She should have stayed at her mum’s house and held off on this.

“Hello, Spock,” the Doctor greeted. He brushed his hand against Rose’s as he walked forward. “Sarah asked us to do a quick check-up on you. I should probably check K-9 over as well.” He cast a fond glance at the robot dog that was rolling closer.

“Hi, Spock, hi, K-9,” Rose managed. “What’s the chess score at?”

“I am currently ahead, Mistress Rose,” K-9 answered dutifully.

“By one game,” Spock cut in. “Hardly a great lead.”

The familiar sparing soothed Rose. It was strange. She could see Spock in front of her, or at least his exterior structure. Nothing had changed on that front. The large screen still shifted in different colors as he spoke, always ready to bring up information. Like a giant old fashioned screensaver.

“You two are a riot,” the Doctor huffed. He strode forward, taking the attention of both Spock and K-9. Rose was grateful for that. “Anything unusual I should be aware of?”

“My most recent diagnostics revealed no problems, Doctor,” Spock answered. “When Luke arrived home, I had been clean out the central data port of dust, but I’ve detected no other problems.”

“That’s good to hear.” The Doctor stopped right in front of the console. “I’m always impressed when I look at this.” He turned towards Rose and smiled; it was a soft smile that reached his eyes. Comforting and proud at the same time. “You did good work.”

“Well, Spock designed most of it,” Rose replied. “I just had the fingers to make it.”

“None the less, your work has proven excellent,” Spock said. There was a pause. “Are you alright, Rose?”

“Just tired,” she managed. “It’s been a crazy last 24 hours.”

“How did you sleep while you were here?” the Doctor asked.

“Not good,” Rose admitted. “I’ll be unconscious tonight after dinner, I’m sure.”

The Doctor paused, and Rose could tell that he was trying to figure out how to say something but wasn’t sure how to start the sentence. Worry and guilt flared in his eyes, and he crossed his arms over his chest, sinking into his leather armor. Rose stepped closer and leaned against his shoulder, drawing his gaze back to her.

“None of that,” she chided. “I forgive you, and we’re all okay. I’m happy to call that a win.”

The Doctor sighed and dropped his crossed arms and put one arm around her waist. He pressed a kiss to her hairline before noticing that Spock and K-9 were still nearby. Rose bit her lip to prevent a giggle from escaping her as the Doctor turned red.

“Uh, this won’t take long,” the Doctor said. “You could rejoin the others.”

“Soon,” Rose promised. “I love them all, but them all together can be a bit much.” A soft sigh escaped her, and she pulled out her mobile. “But I should text everyone, so they know that we’re safe. Given that it turned Barbara into a hugger, the worry must have been bad.”

“They all know of the Daleks,” the Doctor said in a tight voice. At least the blush was gone. Shaking his head, he stalked over to the console. “I can only hope that this was it. The Time War finally over.”

Now her emotions were a perfect storm. Rose wanted to say something, but her throat was too tight. At least now, Spock could chalk up her distance and emotional struggle to the recent events rather than anything he’d said or done. She almost started laughing at how ridiculous all of this was.

“Rose!” A very familiar voice suddenly shouted from downstairs.

“Mickey?” Rose moved to the door and poked her head out. She wasn’t sure that she trusted what she heard.

“Thank god!” came Mickey’s voice.

Rose grinned and rushed down the stairs. They met on the landing of Sarah Jane’s staircase, both grinning like loons. Mickey surged forward and grabbed Rose tightly. She thought she heard him sob into her hair but brought her arms up to hug him back. Guilt hit her yet again for scaring her family so much. Her oldest friend rocked her gently, and she listened to his breathing even out. Even her mum’s reaction hadn’t been so terrified. Then again, Mickey was part of UNIT. He had seen over and over again, how dangerous things could truly be.

“I’m okay,” she promised. “The Doctor ran a medical scan and everything. We all made it out. The Daleks were stopped, and the population of Earth in the future was saved.” That was what really mattered. The destruction was bad, but Rose had hope that it would push humanity onto a better and more productive path.

“I’m glad.” Mickey released her a stepped back, breathing slowly and brushing at suspiciously wet eyes. Rose smiled softly at him and didn’t mention the tears. “It’s great to see you.”

“It’s great to see you too, Mickey,” Rose replied. She bounced forward and hugged him again, much quicker this time before releasing him. “How are you?”

“I’m great right now.” Mickey grinned at her and finally relaxed a little. “Things have been… weird. I won’t lie.” He took a deep breath and shook his head a little. “We’ve all been worried, but in general, life has been good. I’ve been swinging by every couple of days to check on Jackie and Sarah Jane, but things have been quiet on the alien front.”

“What a novel concept.” Rose chuckled and then gave her friend a soft smile. “Thank you for checking on Mum.”

“Yeah, well, you two are the closest thing I have to family now.”

“Not closest. We are,” Rose said firmly.

“That’s what your mum said.”

“Good. Now get it through your head.” She punched his shoulder lightly. “Uh, there is something you should know.” Rose lowered her voice. “The Doctor and I are together.”

“Didn’t that already happen?” Mickey, thankfully, looked more amused than sad. His acceptance warmed Rose’s heart. Knowing that she was hurting Mickey had always been the hardest part of her relationship with the Doctor. “Or is that your crazy timelines.”

Rose stuck her tongue out at him. “Oh, shut it.”

“Shut it? That hurts, Rose! It really does.” Mickey’s expression quickly softened. “Are you

really okay?”

“I’m okay. Did Mum call you?”

“Texted as soon as she heard the TARDIS.” Mickey pulled out his phone. “I’m to let Kate know your status immediately upon seeing you.”

“Well, you can tell her that I’m fine.” Rose exhaled and leaned against the banister. “It was a whirlwind, but we’re all okay. Blimey, I’m going to need to see everyone, aren’t I?”

“Yes.” Mickey nodded solemnly. “If it wasn’t Christmas, then I think Sharon and Shireen would be on you like a pack of starving dogs.”

“Thanks for that image.” Rose rolled her eyes, but the reminder of how many people loved her warmed her. “Come on. We can talk more upstairs.”

Mickey nodded and followed her upstairs. Rose was grateful that Sarah Jane had let him in and not followed him upstairs. That overwhelmed feeling was still hounding her, but Mickey was easier than most of the others. He always would be.

“Saw Captain Flash downstairs,” Mickey said. He stayed close to Rose, touching her shoulder once or twice on the way into the attic. “Don’t tell him I said so, but I’m glad he made it.”

“Me too.”

The Doctor was sitting on the long, old sofa of the attic with K-9 already up on the coffee table. He rose to his feet as they talked in.

“Doctor,” Mickey greeted with a nod. He held out his hand. “Glad you made it back safely.”

The Doctor shook Mickey’s hand, giving him a nod in return. “Yeah, not a bad day, all things considered.” He glanced towards Rose. “How much did she tell you?”

“Not nearly enough,” Mickey sighed.

“You knew the plan,” Rose countered. “Use the Time Vortex to get back.”

“And use it to the stop the Daleks,” the Doctor added drily. “It was insanity, but she pulled it off.”

“And she’s okay?” Mickey asked.

“I told you I was,” Rose huffed. “Honestly. The Doctor did a medical check on me, and I’m fine.”

The Doctor and Mickey exchanged a look, and Rose really didn’t like the idea of those two suddenly deciding to team up on her. Mickey nodded, and the Doctor’s shoulder relaxed slightly. He nodded to Mickey in return. Rose frowned, unsure what silent communication had just occurred. She just hoped that Mickey wouldn’t try to give the Doctor a shovel talk. It meant less to a person who could regenerate.

“Doctor,” Spock said. “I’m picking up a ship in Earth’s upper atmosphere. It is staying just outside of sensor range for UNIT and Earth militaries. I believe they are employing some form of cloaking technology.”

“Is it crashing?” the Doctor asked. He sounded almost eager.

“I do not believe so. The flight pattern is holding steady. I am reading one vessel only. Scanning for communications….” There was a long pause, and Spock’s screen shifted different colours while they waited. “The ship is the Titanic. It is a cruise liner-spaceship built by Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. Point of origin is the planet Sto.”

“The Titanic,” Rose repeated. “Uh, are you sure we don’t need to check your systems, Spock?”

“Seriously,” Mickey scoffed. “You’re joking, right?”

“I am merely reporting what the ship’s computer records. It is known as the Titanic, despite the connotations on Earth.”

“That’s a terrible name of a ship,” the Doctor said. His lips twitched in amusement. “Is it a tourist ship?”

“Indeed, Doctor. It is unusual to have one come so close to the Earth, but it has happened on a few occasions since my awakening.”

“Excuse me?” Mickey demanded. His eyes were wide, and the young man’s fingers twitched like he was searching for his firearm. Rose was glad he was in civilian clothing.

“You’ve never mentioned it,” Rose said gently.

“I try to limit my reports to threats or ships that I cannot identify. The vessel is broadcasting their identification codes on the proper channels. I am only reporting it now because you are here to check my systems, and I don’t wish there to be confusion.”

“Are they aware of the Earth’s status?” the Doctor asked. “They can’t port here.”

“I cannot be certain, but it seems likely as they are not broadcasting any requests to the Earth itself. Their broadcast signal is set for interplanetary channels that humans are not familiar with.”

“Then it shouldn’t be an issue,” the Doctor said. “Pity that.”

“We just got out of trouble,” Rose scolded softly. “No need to go looking for more just yet.”

“No, but we are facing a dinner with too many curious companions and your mother,” the Doctor pointed out. “And Jack seems far too eager to cause trouble amongst them.”

“Touché.”

Mickey snorted and then cleared this throat when Rose and the Doctor looked at him. “You two are too cute,” he teased. “I hope you know that you’re all anyone downstairs is talking about. If you can manage it, you might want to shut Jack up.”

“He’s only quiet when he’s sleeping,” the Doctor grumbled. “And not always then.”

“So is your plan to hide up here?” Mickey asked with an annoying smile. “Cause now that I’ve seen my best girl, I need to go and say hello to Jackie.”

“We aren’t hiding,” Rose assured Mickey. “We were asked to check on Spock by Sarah Jane.”

“I think Sarah Jane was giving you two an excuse to hide,” Mickey countered. “She’s nice like that, but you can’t hide forever.” His grin widened, almost evilly.

“Mickey, stop it,” Rose scolded. “You’re scaring me.”

Her friend tossed his head back and laughed dramatically. The Doctor snorted in amusement, and Rose held back a sigh. Why were all of her boys so dramatic? Mickey winked at her and leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

“I’m gonna see Jacks. You two better wrap up here and makes yourselves seen before the companions revolt and drag you downstairs.”

“You’d protect us, wouldn’t you?” Rose pouted at Mickey.

“You, sure, the Doctor…” Mickey moved his hand in a wavy fashion, but he was smiling. “Maybe. Not sure. Sarah Jane is pretty scary, according to her UNIT file.”

“I won’t take offense at that,” the Doctor said. “It’s true.”

“It is,” Rose agreed.

Mickey laughed and gave her another hug before heading for the stairs. Rose turned back towards Spock to find diagnostics running. The Doctor had a small smile on his face, and Rose crept closer. It was nice interacting with both Mickey and the Doctor without either being jealous. A bit unexpected, but she supposed that her choice was clear.

“How long do you think we can hide?” Rose asked.

“An hour tops,” the Doctor sighed. He wrapped an arm around Rose’s waist, pulling her into a hug. It was friendly, but there was an undercurrent of the new relationship to it that made Rose smile. “We could run….”

“Tempting,” Rose said. “But no. We can both survive this.”

“For how long?”

“Maybe a few days?” Rose peered up at him. “Not too long, though. But I owe everyone a little time to see me. Is that okay?”

The Doctor wasn’t sure how to respond at first. Not because he didn’t know how to answer. He did. He actually knew the correct answer to give this time. But Rose was giving him an out, giving him room to protest. The urge to run, the discomfort with the domestic life happening downstairs nagged at him, almost painfully.

But it was Rose. This brilliant woman who was happy to walk beside him on his chaotic and dangerous path. Who loved him, really loved him and not just some idealized notion of him. The Doctor wasn’t sure how that was possible, but he didn’t doubt anymore that she did. And Rose so rarely asked anything of him. She was gentle and kind with everyone around her, especially him.

“We can stay as long as you want,” he promised softly. At least he knew that Rose would get bored, too, eventually.

Rose rewarded him with a soft smile and happily gleaming brown eyes. The realization that they were alone save K-9 and Spock hit the Doctor, and he turned his body fully towards her. Their eyes met and held each other’s gaze. There were still shadows under her eyes from lost sleep, but Rose looked happy. At peace.

Reaching up, the Doctor cupped her cheek with his hand, and Rose’s smile widened. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Sliding his free hand around her waist, the Doctor pulled her closer and relished being able to kiss Rose Tyler. If staying for a few extra days made Rose happy, then he could live with it.


	5. Friends and Family

Christmas on the Other Side

By Lumendea

Chapter Five: Friends and Family

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Thank you everyone for all the great comments and the strong response to this episode. Writing has been a bit hard lately after everything that’s happened so your support and excitement has been really helpful in keeping me motivated.

…………………..

The Doctor wasn’t big on domestics. Human domestics were charming in their own little ways and were very different from the cultural touchstones of Gallifrey. But that was part of the problem. There was a strange permeance to human domestics. They were rituals shared amongst family and close friends that created ties not easily broken. And for a being that lived to run, those ties were inconvenient.

Of course, the Doctor was also aware that he had ties with these people even if he didn’t bask in domestics with them. Despite deaths and regenerations, he’d never stopped caring about Sarah Jane, couldn’t help but be proud of Ian and Barbara, and more than a little pleased at the family they’d made with each other. And he also knew that he and Rose were fairly domestic in the TARDIS. She cooked breakfast every morning, and he and Jack took turns on clean up and dishes. They had lazy days and sometimes just snuggle and watched the telly. So yes, he wasn’t so delusional as to think there were no domestics in his life. But standing in Sarah Jane’s attic snogging Rose Tyler while Christmas dinner was cooking over at Jackie’s was a new level of domestics for him.

They didn’t manage to stay in the attic for very long. Rose knew that she should have seen it coming. All things considered, Skye had been rather patient with Rose, and the distraction of the arrival of her grandparents hadn’t put the preteen girl off getting her godmother’s attention. Rose adored Skye but had pulled away from the Doctor when she heard her coming up the stairs. If Skye had noticed Rose’s blush and the Doctor’s red ears, she hadn’t mentioned it.

Then again, everyone seemed to know without being told. Rose wasn’t sure what it was and desperately wanted to know but didn’t want to ask. Jack had been in touch with the Companions Club for a while now thanks to the traitor Jo so he’d probably been keeping them up to date. But the most recent development was too new. But they’d all known for a while where she and the Doctor were going. Maybe there was enough of a chance now that they knew it had happened.

Skye dragged Rose downstairs, allowing the Doctor to linger and finish up with Spock and K-9. Sarah Jane, Johnny, Barbara, Luke, and Ian were all in the sitting room around some plates of nibbles. To Rose’s surprise, Rani and Clyde were also present, hanging near Luke. Skye didn’t release Rose’s hand and pulled her over to one of the chairs.

“Rani, Clyde,” Rose greeted. She pulled her hand free from Skye, ignoring the girl’s pout. “Let me hug them, Skye.” Sarah Jane chuckled at her daughter’s antics. Rani grinned and swooped over to hug Rose.

“Can’t stay long,” Rani apologized as she let Rose go. The girl was now even taller than Rose. “We have a bunch of cousins visiting for the holiday, so I’m helping Mum, but Luke texted me. I wanted to say hi.”

“It’s good to see you, Rani,” Rose greeted. She hugged Rani again. “How is school?”

“Fine.” Rani rolled her eyes at the question. “Finishing my A-Levels alongside Clyde. We’re looking at universities now. Dad’s being emotional about it.”

“He’s your dad and a teacher,” Rose pointed out. “Of course he’s going to be emotional.” Rose turned her attention to Clyde, who had joined them, and gave him a hug. “And hello, Clyde.”

“Welcome back, Star Knight! Really good to have you back!”

His enthusiasm was always really something. “Where’s the Doctor?” Rani asked.

“Upstairs, he’s checking on Spock and K-9.” Rose glanced around the room. “Uh, so I should probably go and check in with my mum.” She gestured towards the front door and started moving in that direction.

“Oh, don’t be like that, Rosie,” Jack said. He swanned out of the kitchen, holding two glasses of wine that he handed to a smiling Barbara and Ian. “Stay and catch up. I’ve been sharing stories.” The unholy glee in his voice and eyes terrified Rose.

“Please tell me that you’ve been keeping your stories age-appropriate,” Rose said with a nod towards Skye.

“I’m not a baby,” Skye protested with a roll of her eyes.

“I can behave myself,” Jack huffed. He wasn’t really offended, Rose could tell but clearly felt like he needed to act like he was. Sitting down in one of the chairs, he picked up a glass of wine and grinned at her. “And I’m being helpful.”

“He is,” Sarah Jane agreed. “I see why Jo likes him.”

“Careful, Sarah Jane,” Rose cautioned. She was smiling a little now herself. “Jack is a charmer.”

“We’ve figured that one out,” Johnny said dryly.

“Spock is fine,” the Doctor reported as he joined Rose. She’d never been so grateful for his timing. “I cleaned up some of the internal systems, but he’s running at full capacity.”

“That’s good to hear,” Sarah Jane said. She smiled at them both, her eyes dropping to their hands. “I wasn’t worried about anything specific, and Luke does a good job with him, but it’s nice to have a Time Lord take a look every so often.”

“You’re making him live up to his name,” Barbara teased. She looked pleased at the sight of them next to each other. “I’m glad that you figured things out between yourselves.”

“Jack,” the Doctor said firmly, giving Jack a look.

“What?” Jack blinked innocently. “I didn’t say anything. I didn’t have you.” He gestured at them and glanced at Skye. “The… tension has always been obvious, and now it’s eased. It’s an obvious change.”

“It’s true,” Skye said with a smirk. Then she gave Jack a look. “And I’m not a baby. You don’t need to censor yourself.”

“You’re also not as old as you look,” Jack pointed out. “Rose told me about you.”

There was some irony in that remark, Rose thought. Given the relationship he’d have with Athena someday and what the young Time Lady had told Rose about her creation. Sprung fully grown from her father and all that. Rose still wondered how that relationship had gotten started. She imagined that Jack wasn’t traveling with them when Athena was made because otherwise, that would have been too strange for her to tolerate.

“Yes, we’re together,” Rose admitted. “And we’re happy, but it is new, so please limit your gossiping ways and don’t start an interrogation.” The Doctor snorted at the idea that they would. “I’m already having some very real regrets about introducing some of you to each other.”

“Only now?” the Doctor snarked. “After how many years?”

“Well, normally, their teasing is at your expense,” Rose pointed out. She smiled and shrugged at the Doctor. “So, we can stay here, or we can go and see my mum and Mickey?”

The Doctor wasn’t thrilled with either offer. His eyes swept through the room and landed on Ian, who had a small, but guarded smile on his face. Barbara looked far too pleased about everything, and Luke’s friends just seemed to be in shock that this was what was happening. He supposed that reaction made the most sense. They’d heard of him many times in larger-than-life stories, but right now, he was being teased about his relationship with Rose.

Oddly, he didn’t hate it. While it was certainly uncomfortable in some ways, there was also a warm feeling in his chest. Rose was beside him, and a soft blush on her cheeks showed that she was also affected, but she didn’t seem angry. This was not how most friendships on Gallifrey had worked and not how most of his past relationships with his companions had worked. They teased him sometimes; that was often one of his favorite things because it showed they were comfortable with him. This was more of the same, and no one, not even Ian, had tried to pull him aside and demand to know what he was up to with Rose.

That might happen, but it hadn’t happened yet. No one seemed mad or even surprised. Had he been that obvious about how he’d felt for her? And did their reactions, or lack of reactions beyond pleased teasing, mean something good? This was new territory for him.

Rose tugged on his hand, drawing him towards the front door. The Doctor went, realizing that he hadn’t answered her earlier question, but also not wanting to stay at Sarah Jane’s a moment longer. It felt cowardly, but the intense attention was more than he wanted right now.

Everyone seemed happy, but there was a nervous bubble in his chest. Rose cared about these people, and they knew him. Many had seen him under not-great circumstances. What if they said something and convinced Rose it was a bad idea to have a relationship with him? The idea was probably ridiculous, but he couldn’t shake it. There were a couple of chuckles behind them as they headed outside, and Rose called a quick goodbye to them.

“You okay?” Rose asked when the door closed. “They can be a lot.”

“I’m fine,” he assured her. “Processing still, but I’m good.”

“You sure?” Rose looked up at him with her big brown eyes. “I’m sorry that I pushed for us to come so quickly. I wanted to see them and reassure them, but we could have waited.”

“No,” the Doctor said quickly. He shook his head and led Rose further away from Sarah Jane’s house. “Don’t apologize for that.”

Stopping the Doctor, gripped Rose’s hand and turned to face her. They were standing on the pavement outside of Sarah Jane’s house amongst holiday decorations. It wasn’t a place that the Doctor had imagined himself being a few years ago during the brutality of the Time War. He hated even thinking about that time right now, but the recent events had brought so many old memories to the surface.

“I’m not good at domestic,” the Doctor told Rose. “But what happened was terrible, and I can understand wanting to see them. You… you shouldn’t feel the need to apologize for that.” Rose smiled gently at him. “I’m rubbish at this. Sorry.”

“I know who you are,” Rose said gently. She reached up and touched the side of his face, cupping his cheek. “And knowing that I’m grateful that you’re trying.” Rose chuckled softly. “And as much as I love them all, I won’t want to stay too long. Uh… were you okay with me telling them?” Rose asked. “Everyone seemed to know, but I realize that I probably should have checked with you before confirming that we’re together.”

“Given that Spock and K-9 saw us kiss, I don’t think it would have stayed a secret.”

“Yes, but Spock has to keep quiet if I tell him to, and you’re still K-9’s primary master,” Rose pointed out. “We could have kept it a secret.”

“Jack.”

“Who we could have said was having them on,” Rose pointed out.

“I don’t mind,” the Doctor said. It was messier than that, but the knowledge that Rose was okay with their friends knowing was good. “And your mum already figured it out. We probably would have just offended them, pretending otherwise.” He felt his face warm. “Apparently, we’re obvious.”

Rose’s smile widened. “Well, that’s flattering then. But not unexpected.” Tilting her head, she gave him her tongue touched smile. “After all, how many people thought we were together during our travels?”

“More than a few,” the Doctor agreed. He almost kissed her again, but it was cold outside, and they were standing on the pavement. “You wanted to see your mum.”

“A bit yeah, mostly I wanted to hide from them for a little bit,” Rose admitted. “But… Mickey is over there too, so it shouldn’t be all bad.”

The Doctor wasn’t sure about that, but they crossed the road and entered Jackie’s home. The Doctor’s eyes went back to the Lumen painting, and this time, Rose observed his reaction. She touched the frame of the painting with a strange expression on her face.

“I know,” she said. Rose gestured at what she was wearing. “Realized that I was even wearing the right clothing when I saw it. Years ago, when the painting came to life, it said the words Bad Wolf to me. I think it’s the first time the words ever crossed my path.”

The Doctor nodded slowly. He remembered that event. The glowing gold figure that, in hindsight, he did realize looked just like Rose. All the way down to the clothing. Shaking his head, he stayed near as Rose took off her coat and hung it up. Mickey and Jackie were talking in the kitchen, and he followed Rose into the far room without any complaint.

“Thank God,” Mickey gasped. He whirled around and grinned at Rose. “Please, help! I’m terrible in the kitchen.”

“Yes, you are,” Jackie huffed. “We’re gonna need to take care of that, Mickey. Honestly, you’re well past the age to know how to do these things.”

“Even Gran couldn’t drum it into my head,” Mickey reminded her. He reached out and grabbed Rose’s hand. “I’m tagging you in. You’re mum’s on the warpath.”

“I am not,” Jackie said. She narrowed her eyes at Mickey, but there were glittering with good humor. “But I have the main dish for dinner since Sarah Jane was entertaining.”

The Doctor still wasn’t sure what to make of the fact that the Chesterton-Smiths were having dinner with Jackie. He imagined that with Rose absent, Sarah Jane hadn’t wanted to leave Jackie alone, and somehow the senior Tyler woman had insisted on taking point on the meal. That could imagine even if he didn’t want to wonder about the domestics of everything happening around him.

“Here, Doctor,” Jackie shoved a bundle of carrots at him. “You can cut those. Mickey, go and get the dining room ready. Rose can take over helping me here.”

Mickey bolted from the room, heading down the hall to the formal dining room. Rose caught the Doctor’s eyes, and he could see her trying not to smile. She opened a drawer for him and pulled out a knife. The Doctor accepted it, feeling a bit like he’d been hit in the head before going over to the cutting board waiting on the small kitchen table. Jackie also had a knife in her hand and was already chatting with Rose at full speed. As tempting as it was to head for the TARDIS, the Doctor had a feeling that he wouldn’t make it before Jackie came at him with the knife. Better to wait a little longer.


	6. Alert

Christmas on the Other Side  
By Lumendea  
Chapter Six: Alert

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters. 

…………………..

The Tyler house included a reasonably sized dining room that, according to Rose, was barely ever used, but that her mum loved having. Pictures of Rose, Jackie, and other family members, including a couple of Rose’s father, hung on the walls. A cabinet was tucked into one corner that contained the nicer dishware that Jackie had purchased for herself last year and was currently empty after Mickey set the table. It was all very… domestic.

Right on time, the Chesterton-Smiths had arrived, all smiles, with some of the dishes that Sarah Jane had made. The Doctor had stayed in the corner of the room as much as he could, watching the domestics with some interest. He had to admit that it was good to see everyone so happy. Ian and Barbara hugged Rose again and gave him annoying, knowing looks.

Why were none of his companions surprised? It taunted the Doctor, and he thought back to the references about time loops and them meeting future incarnations of him. Had something happened during those events? He wasn’t sure, and that idea was terrifying in its own way.

“Thank you for coming,” Jackie greeted warmly. “And for allowing me to host.”

“We certainly appreciate it, Jackie,” Sarah Jane laughed. “Try as I might, I can never seem to keep the dining area clean. If Skye isn’t working on an art project, then Luke turns it into a workbench when he is home.”

Both of Sarah Jane’s kids looked sheepish at the words, and the Doctor smiled. Jackie snorted and gave Rose a knowing look.

“I remember Rose at that age. For her, it was oil paints. I swear that the smell lingered until the day we moved out.”

“It did not,” Rose countered. “Just… a few weeks.”

“No, you got paint on the dining table, and the smell stayed forever.” Jackie was almost glowing from the teasing. “But enough tormenting the kids for now.” She gestured towards the dining room. “Everything is set up.”

“Are you staying, Doctor?” Barbara asked curiously. “I don’t recall you doing human holidays.”

“Rose asked me to,” the Doctor answered with a shrug.

As expected, that got more knowing, almost devious smiles. Thankfully, the torment was short-lived as Jackie all but pushed everyone into the dining room and pointed everyone to seats. Jack was giddy with glee and discussing the holiday traditions that would evolve out of Christmas with Luke and Skye before offering help in getting everything on the table.

The Doctor glared at Jack as the young man made himself helpful to Jackie and Sarah Jane. The dining room was decorated with garland and tinsel, and Jackie looked incredibly pleased with herself. Rose shifted in her chair next to him, casting a thankful but also irritated and exhausted expression his way. He almost smiled. At least it assured him that he wasn’t the only one chafing a little. Then again, Rose had wanted to visit her mum; she hadn’t signed up for her family plus the Chesterton-Smiths. The Doctor was just grateful that Jack was keeping everyone’s attention with his discussion about future holiday traditions. Even Jackie seemed vaguely interested despite it being a reminder of the strange company her daughter kept.

“I’m glad that some of our traditions survive for so long,” Ian said. “It’s reassuring to know that aspects of the world you will keep existing.”

“Agreed,” Barbara said. “As much as I enjoyed many of our adventures in the TARDIS, there were times that the lack of familiarity was difficult.”

“Well, I’m just grateful that everyone is here and safe,” Jackie announced firmly. She beamed at Rose. “And thanks to the Chesterton-Smiths for joining us.”

“We’re glad to be here, Jackie,” Sarah Jane replied smoothly. She was smiling as well and watching the Doctor out of the corner of her eye.

The Doctor had the sinking feeling that they were all amused by him sitting here for Christmas Dinner. He wasn’t too interested in Jackie’s cooking, though he had to admit everything smelled decent, and he’d overheard Jackie mentioning cooking classes with Gita to Rose earlier, but it meant a lot to Rose to be here with her mum. And after Jack had happily accepted an invitation, the Doctor knew he didn’t really have a choice.

As it turned out, Jackie’s cooking wasn’t bad. She’d gone a bit old school with a goose rather than a turkey, which everyone seemed to approve of after the first few bites. The Doctor slowly relaxed. The food wasn’t bad, but the rest of the table seemed content to catch up. Once the conversation about the evolution of Christmas had wrapped up, Luke talked about school and his current classes while his grandfather despaired over the boy attending Oxford instead of Cambridge. It was clearly a show, but the Doctor was amused.

Rose spoke softly with him a few times, providing background on things that people brought up that he didn’t know about. Out of the corner of his eye, the Doctor watched Rose relax, and Jackie’s smile widen. This wasn’t the most comfortable situation he’d ever been in, but the Doctor could admit that it wasn’t completely horrible.

A soft ring made everyone pause. Jackie frowned, her brown eyes flashing in displeasure at the interruption. Sarah Jane looked at her son and narrowed her eyes.

“Luke-”

“Sorry, Mum. I forgot.” Luke pulled out his phone and moved to turn it off, only to pause. “Uh,” Luke looked at his phone.

“Luke, put that away,” Sarah Jane scolded softly. “It’s Christmas dinner.”

“But Mum, it’s Spock,” Luke replied quickly. “He says that there’s been a change with the ship? It’s broadcasting a distress signal. He needs to talk to you.” He looked over at Rose and the Doctor. “Does that mean something to you?”

“Yes,” Rose answered for them. She gave her mother a soft, apologetic look. “Let us check on this really quick, Mum.” Rose leaned over and kissed Jackie’s cheek before heading for the door. “Sorry, be right back.”

Jackie huffed, but the Doctor took the opportunity to stand and follow Rose. Behind him, he could hear Jack turning on the charm and really hoped that the man had the good sense not to try anything with Rose’s mother. He couldn’t imagine that Jack would, but his companion could be unpredictable.

“Fine,” Jackie called after them. “Just don’t take too long!” The Doctor could hear the frustration in her voice and sighed in relief at her restraint. “Honestly! It’s Christmas!”

“They are who they are,” was the last thing the Doctor heard from Barbara as he reached the entryway.

It was already dark outside, and the chill of winter rolled down the Doctor’s spine. He glanced at Rose and was relieved to see her pulling on her coat as they moved. They ran across the street, and the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to unlock the door to Sarah Jane’s house. The street lights and string of lights that Sarah Jane had hung around her door made it easy to see. They headed straight upstairs with the Doctor in the lead.

“You’ve got a spring in your step,” Rose teased. She glanced back. “Uh, Jack isn’t following us.”

“It’s fine. He can worry about soothing your mother.”

“She’s not a beast, Doctor.”

“Says you.”

“I think she’s been very welcoming and kind today,” Rose protested. “All things considered. She’s making an effort to be nice.”

“She is,” the Doctor agreed because it was true. Still, being cornered for a conversation by Jackie about his relationship with Rose when it was brand new was still uncomfortable. “All things considered.”

They reached the attic and found Spock with maps and charts filling his screen. “Doctor, Rose, I’m sorry to disturb you, but the Titanic is broadcasting a distress signal, but it is very weak. I doubt that anyone will be able to pick it up outside the solar system.”

“What happened?” the Doctor demanded.

“The ship’s shields failed. It was hit by three asteroids. I’ve completed a life scan, but…” Spock trailed off. “There are some survivors,” he offered gently. “But the immediate issue is that the ship is dead in the sky.”

“Earth’s gravity will pull it to the planet,” the Doctor finished. “And with possibly damaged engines, the whole planet is at risk.”

The Doctor was already moving for the stairs and no doubt the TARDIS when Rose’s phone rang. Information on the unknown ship was still splayed across Spock’s screen, but Rose none the less pulled out her phone and checked the caller. She stopped and frowned. The number was her own, and the name listed was “Rose Tyler.”

“Tyler?” Rose greeted cautiously. The Doctor stopped and turned to look at her, gesturing for her to come on. She waved him off.

“Hello, younger self,” a calm but tense voice very much like her own greeted. “If I’ve got the timing right, you just learned about the Titanic’s distress signal from Spock, and the Doctor is ready to pounce the mystery to escape Christmas celebrations.”

“Uh, yeah,” Rose answered. “You got the timing right. I, uh, take it that you have information for me?” The Doctor was approaching her, eyeing the phone in frustration and confusion. “It’s me,” Rose told him. “Future me.”

“And he’s about to go off,” her future self said. “Look, you can’t come up here. My Doctor and I are on the ship and trying to deal with things. Adding crossing over timelines on top of this mess won’t help, even if it would simplify some things.”

“Uh…” Rose wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

“Rose, what is going on?” the Doctor demanded. “Are you really talking to your-”

Rose put a hand up and covered his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise. “Are you sure that you’re okay?” Rose asked. “That we shouldn’t help?”

“I don’t remember coming here,” the other Rose replied. She sounded stressed and tired, and Rose worried about what was happening up on that ship. “Something just happened, but I don’t know what because this is my first time living through it. You aren’t supposed to come, so keep the Doctor on Earth.”

“Any suggest-”

Her other self hung up, and Rose looked at the phone. She was tempted to redial but could imagine that things had just gotten worse with whatever was happening up there. Dropping her hand from the Doctor’s mouth, she smiled at him. She was impressed that he’d actually gone silent.

“So, something is happening upon the ship, but we can’t go there because we will be there in the future, and my future self remembered that call, but not us going up there.”

“We have to stay,” the Doctor grumbled. He went to the window and pushed it open, ignoring the rush of cold air. Poking his head out, he looked up into the sky. “Did you say what was happening?”

“No,” Rose answered. “But the name of the ship gives me goosebumps.”

“Yeah.” The Doctor closed the window and started to pace. “I hate this.”

“I can tell,” Rose said easily.

“So, we just sit here and wait?” the Doctor’s voice was gruffer than usual.

“Yes,” Rose answered. “We don’t get involved.”

“That’s annoying.”

“I know you wanted an excuse to slip away,” Rose said. “And if you want to go to the TARDIS, that’s alright.”

The Doctor paused. He was tempted, but he shook his head. “No, I can deal with this for one night.” He hesitated before finishing the thought. “It’s important to you.”

Rose leaned up and kissed the Doctor quickly. “Thank you.” She smiled at him. “I have faith in us. It’ll be fine. Try not to worry.”

The Doctor huffed and grabbed Rose’s hand. They walked back to her mum’s house in comfortable silence though Rose saw the Doctor look up into the sky a few times. The night sky was bright with the lights of London, but she could still see a few stars.

“What is going on?” Sarah Jane asked as they entered the entry. She had her coat in hand. “Everything alright?”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor huffed. “That’s the problem.”

In that moment, he reminded Rose of his next self. All that barely contained energy and no constructive way to use it. Then he stopped pacing and shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather coat. Sarah Jane raised an eyebrow, and Rose quickly joined the Doctor, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek.

“You’ll find out in the future,” Rose reminded him as he blushed and glanced towards Sarah Jane. “Something to look forward to.” Then she turned to Sarah Jane and found the woman hanging her coat up once again. “Spock detected a ship nearby that is having trouble. We were preparing to head for it, but my future self called to tell us that we’re already there. So, we have to stay away.” Rose said the last part with her eyes on the Doctor.

“You lead such a strange life,” Sarah Jane said. She chuckled and shook her head. “Well, then I suggest we return to the dining room.” She grinned at the Doctor. “I’m sure you can manage Christmas dinner. I have faith in you.” Sarah Jane nodded to them and headed for the dining room.

“She’s enjoying this,” the Doctor grumbled to Rose. “They all are.”

Rose almost laughed. It was tempting. The giggle was dancing on her tongue, and she barely kept her jaw shut. The Doctor was pouting slightly and turned to look at Rose. His blue eyes narrowed when he saw her expression. Rose grinned, it was better than laughing, but she couldn’t contain the emotions. The Doctor stared at her, and Rose wondered what he was thinking. Finally, he sighed and reached out to put his arm around her shoulders. Rose buried her head in his chest and started laughing while the Doctor grumbled further.

“It’s not that funny,” he protested.

“Yes,” Rose gasped. “It is.” She laughed another minute before looking up at him again. “Come on, Doctor. It’s not that bad.”

“I’m pretty sure that Ian is crafting a shovel talk in his head and that Barbara is preparing to ask me my intentions,” the Doctor replied. He was turning red again.

Rose held back another round of laughter. The Doctor probably wouldn’t have been wrong under other circumstances, but thanks to time travel, all of the Companion’s Club knew where this was going. At least most of the story. The snogging at her aborted wedding and other events over the years had made it clear that this was a long haul relationship. Still, Rose wouldn’t put it completely past Ian and maybe Alistair and Benton to try and have a talk with the Doctor. Alistair would do it simply to troll the Doctor, which was a much funnier thought than it should be given the man knew that she and the Doctor would have a son named after him.

“It’ll be fine, Doctor,” Rose said. “We’ve survived so much worse than the gossiping busybodies that are our family.”

He didn’t correct her. It was tempting to. The idea was silly and ridiculous, but he said nothing about Rose’s description of the crazy lot being their family. Rose shrugged out of her coat and hung it back on the hook before heading for the dining room. The Doctor followed her, tempted to suggest they return to the TARDIS, but knew that Sarah Jane had already seen them.

Jack was working on a goose leg and talking with Ian when they walked back in. Everyone paused, and the look of relief on Jackie’s face almost hurt. The Doctor retook his seat as Rose kissed her mother’s cheek and then sat back down.

“Nothing we need to worry about,” Rose said. “At least not yet, anyway.”

The Doctor sighed and picked up his fork. Confused looks were exchanged around the table before Jack started telling Luke and Skye about one of their calmer adventures.


	7. Christmas Dinner

Christmas on the Other Side

By Lumendea

Chapter Seven: Christmas Dinner

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: So, yeah, the Doctor and Rose don’t get in on the action. I thought a time loop would be fun and honestly after 2020, I thought a fluffy domestic Christmas piece was the right choice. I hope that all of you are having a great holiday season. Stay safe and stay strong.

…………………..

Dinner finished without incident and too many groans of having eaten too much. The Doctor enjoyed it more than he’d thought he would but hadn’t fully relaxed. There was a ship far above his head in trouble, and he wasn’t allowed to do anything about it. He’d briefly considered that the call might have been a trick before dismissing it. If there was one thing that the Doctor trusted, it was Rose’s judgment. The Guardians knew that she had far better judgment than him, even if he’d never admit that out loud.

But knowing that a future version of him was dealing with it still hadn’t settled him. This whole situation was too strange for that. But Rose had relaxed and joined in on the stories. Watching her smile and laugh had brightened everything. The Doctor found himself watching her closely out of the corner of his eye and occasionally turning to watch her, hopeful that the others were distracted by the food and each other.

Her brown eyes lit up when she laughed, the soft flecks of gold in them glittering in the overhead light and the colored strings that Jackie had hung around the room. The dark circle beneath her eyes bothered him, but even they seemed to have faded in the light of her happiness. She and Mickey got into a light kicking war under the table at one point that devolved into Mickey sticking his tongue out at her and Jackie scolding them both before pouring more wine. Sarah Jane had asked loudly if that was what she had to look forward to with Luke and Skye. Her children had promptly rewarded her with an under-table foot war of their own.

When everyone was done, Luke and Skye quickly started helping Jack shuttle the dishes to the kitchen. Jackie protested loudly but was smiling in pleasure at the gesture. She had taken Rose’s hand and not released it for several minutes while the conversations wound down. When Jackie relaxed, Rose stood along with Mickey and grabbed the last of the dishes. The Doctor found himself the subject of curious looks from those remaining at the table and stood. There were a few wine glasses that he picked up to take to the kitchen as a pretense.

Luke and Skye jumped out of his way as he passed them. Skye grinned evilly. “I guess you were right about the sculptor of the statue being enamored with Rose, after all, Doctor.”

“Skye,” Luke scolded lightly.

“Have you really been waiting a year to say that?” the Doctor asked.

Skye shrugged, looking every inch a young teenager. The Doctor wished Sarah Jane and Johnny good luck with her. “Only a little.”

Luke offered him an apologetic look that failed to hide his amusement and gently pushed his sister back towards the dining room. The Doctor wasn’t sure how to react. On the one hand, Rose was the girl’s godmother, so her approval was good; on the other being so transparent to a human teenager wasn’t pleasant. He went on his way to the

kitchen, passing Jack with a nod.

Mickey was packing up the leftovers. Moving through the kitchen with an ease that spoke of how often he came over. The Doctor found himself oddly glad that Jackie had Mickey and Sarah Jane looking after her. It wasn’t that he liked the woman exactly, but she was slowly growing on him, and he had to give her at least partial credit for how Rose had turned out.

“How bad was the party last night?” Rose asked Mickey from her place at the dishwasher. She was rinsing the plates and loading up the appliance. “Were the police called?”

“Of course they were,” Mickey laughed. “Jackie invited the whole street, but someone from the next street over complained. You missed the conga line.”

“Oh, what a shame,” Rose said dryly. “I wasn’t sure if she did one.”

“I think she thought about canceling, but Bev and Moe talked her into it. And Gita. According to Jackie, Gita loves a wild party but won’t host one herself. What with her husband being a Head Teacher, I guess she thinks it looks bad.”

“Well, it would horrify Rani and her husband.”

“Yeah, Haresh spend most of the evening watching through the window with a vaguely disapproving look.” Mickey shrugged. “Caught him laughing a few times.”

“Thank you for looking out for Mum,” Rose said. “Really. I’m grateful that you and Sarah Jane have being keeping an eye on her.”

“It’s no trouble. Saved me from the UNIT Christmas party, at least part of the time.” He gave Rose a side-eye, “Have you ever seen Malcolm drunk?”

“No. I can’t say that I have.”

“I don’t recommend it. He is terrifying. Keep rambling about physics and talking about experiments that might ‘break things’ before giggling.”

The Doctor could imagine that. He remembered the kindly but strange man he’d met. The man clearly adored Rose and was loyal to UNIT with strong principles, which put him in the Doctor’s good books, but he also remembered the man’s wide-eyed personality. Mickey glanced at the door and smirked as he caught the Doctor lingering.

“Running from Jackie?” Mickey asked.

The Doctor scoffed and brought the glasses over to Rose. “Of course not.”

“I won’t think less of you if you are,” Rose assured him. “Thanks for staying for dinner. Just remember, if you go to the TARDIS that you can’t check on the ship using her systems. We can’t get involved.”

“I wonder if the news has picked anything up,” the Doctor said casually.

“Doubt it,” Mickey said. He pulled out his phone. “No UNIT alerts. If anything had been picked up, I’m sure they would have called me to see if you two were around.”

Ten minutes later, the Doctor had the remote and was flipping through the news channels. There was nothing unusual on, and he glanced out the window. Rose knew that he was considering going over to Sarah Jane’s house to see Spock.

“I’m sure it’s fine,” Rose said. She sat down next to him, holding out a cup of tea to him. “If you go over there, you know that you’ll be pulled into whatever Christmas games they are playing. At least my mum isn’t into those.” Rose glanced towards the kitchen. “At least not yet. A few more years like this, and she might be.”

“Don’t say such things,” the Doctor grumbled.

“I don’t know why you’re so grumpy,” Jack sighed happily from the sofa. He was stretched out and patted his stomach. “Wonderful dinner and fun stories. All that’s missing is-”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Mickey said firmly.

“Ah, come on, Mickey,” Jack leered. “What a way to finish the holiday.”

“He’s very straight,” Rose informed Jack. “Early, and I do mean early 21st century. Sorry, Jack.”

“I do like challenges.”

“I will shoot you,” Mickey told Jack. “Or drag you to the UNIT science department and tell Malcolm when you’re from. He’d keep you there for weeks with questions.”

“That’s…” Rose tilted her head and looked up at Jack. “That’s a very creative threat, Mickey. I’m impressed. You’re right. Malcolm is sweet, but his excitement can carry him away.”

“How has no one picked up the ship?” the Doctor demanded. He began to pace across the living room, glaring at the television. “Honestly, I thought your technology was better than this at this point.”

“Might be in a blind spot,” Mickey said. “Or they have some shielding systems still working.”

“Doctor,” Jackie groaned. “Either sit down or go and tinker in that blasted ship of yours.”

“He’s just worried, Mum,” Rose said gently. “We know that something bad is happening and can’t help. It’s a bit stressful.”

Jackie’s brown eyes softened, and the Doctor realized that what Rose had said was exactly what Jackie and the others had been suffering through over the past month. He slumped down onto the sofa and eyed the television. It was shocking that the news wasn’t full of information about the ship yet. With the shields down and communications weak, he doubted that any cloaking technology was still active.

What was his future self up to there? Was it still this body or another one? But Rose was still with him, that was good. Would it be next year or further down the line? If he made a point to avoid the Titanic, then he could make sure that Rose stayed with him as long as possible. He eyed her out of the corner of her eye as she chatted with Mickey and Jack.

The Doctor went to the kitchen and eyed the TARDIS out in the garden. The small light at the top was shining softly in the darkness and illuminating the Tyler’s bare garden and the thin layer of snow on the ground. It was tempting to head for the TARDIS at this point. Even if he didn’t try to track the ship, he could check over the systems. There might be damage to the TARDIS after recent events. Someone entered the kitchen behind him, and the Doctor turned to find Ian standing behind him.

“I feel like we should have a talk,” Ian said. He glanced at the entrance to the kitchen. “About you and Rose.”

“This cannot be happening,” the Doctor groaned. It had to be the Dream Lord again or something else. There was no way that Chatterton had cornered him in the kitchen to discuss his… whatever with Rose. “Chatterton-”

“Oh, don’t start that,” Ian sighed. “Aren’t you too old for that, Doctor?”

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, but Ian was completely unbothered. “This is an unusual situation, Doctor. For everyone involved. Many of us have known you for a long time, and we’ve watched Rose grow up, some of us longer than others. We care about you a great deal, and we also care about Rose.”

“I know that.”

“And I knew your granddaughter,” Ian pointed out. “Seeing you… dating? I’m not sure what word to use here, Rose, who is a human impossibly younger than you, is strange.” The Doctor had a feeling that Ian wanted to use a different word than that. “I just want to make sure that it isn’t some experiment to you.”

“No,” the Doctor snapped. The word escaped him before he could think of a proper response. “It isn’t like that at all,” the Doctor offered. “This is… this is brand new, Ian,” he admitted, using the man’s name in a gentle tone. He wanted to look away but knew better than appear weak or ashamed right now. “I don’t know where it is going to go or how it will turn out. Being with Rose… it makes the universe good again. I can’t say where it’s going any more than anyone else ever can. Time Lords don’t see their own timelines or the timelines of people too close to them.”

Ian’s expression softened fondly. The Doctor hated it. He was the one used to knowing things before his companions and former companions. He was the one with the answers, and yet whenever he was around this blasted club they had formed, everything was turned on its head.

“I always knew you were more like us than you liked to admit,” Ian teased. But then he turned serious. “Just know that if you hurt her, there will be quite a few people on Earth very angry with you and well aware of your weakness. We know that we can kill you, and it won’t be permanent.”

With that, Ian joined the others in the living room. The Doctor followed to the doorway of the kitchen and watched as the Chesterton-Smith lot gathered up their coats. Jackie was fussing over them, and Barbara was smiling warmly at Rose as she said goodbye.

“Thank you again for dinner, Jackie,” Sarah Jane said. She hugged the other woman. “Would you care to join us for games?”

Everyone knew the answer. The Doctor nearly rolled his eyes. Sarah Jane was just asking to be polite, and it was ridiculous.

“Thank you, but no.” Jackie smile and waved the Chesterton-Smiths out the door. “You enjoy having both your kids home. I’m going to spend some time with mine.”

The Doctor’s skin bristled, and he drew back. That itch to run was back. The friends were departing for the evening, and he was remaining behind. What was he in this situation? How was this supposed to work? Jack showed no signs of leaving the sofa. In fact, the Doctor thought that the man might be slipping into a coma. Between the stress of the situation they’d come from, the lack of sleep they’d suffered during the confrontation, and now a full belly, it wouldn’t surprise the Doctor if Jack did fall asleep.

He headed for the door and into the cool night air. The snow crunched under his boots, and the Doctor inhaled slowly. It was easier to breathe now. Domestics were oddly stressful, and no politics had even come up. How did humans do it? Were Sarah Jane and her family really at their home planning games? What was Jo up to? What about Ace and Tegan?

“Everything okay?” Rose’s voice asked behind him.

“I have no idea what is happening up there!” The Doctor gestured up into the dark sky. That wasn’t the only place he didn’t know what was happening, but it was oddly easier. “You’re there, potentially in danger again, and I…” He shook his head. “Have I regenerated?”

“I don’t know,” Rose told him. “It didn’t come up. She just said that she was with the Doctor; she didn’t specify which body you’re in.” Rose paused and studied him. “Does it matter?”

“Maybe,” the Doctor huffed. He wasn’t sure right now. “I don’t know. With your timelines, I’m never sure what to think about you and my other incarnations!”

“Wow,” Rose breathed. She rubbed her hands against the material of her jeans, seemingly overwhelmed. The Doctor immediately regretted his words and wondered how often he was going to put his foot in it. Her knowing how he felt hadn’t magically made him better at this. “I thought we’d have more time before we had this conversation.”

Rose brushed a stray hair out of her face and stepped closer to the Doctor. Her gaze dropped to his hands, and she reached out to take one in her grasp.

“Regeneration is… hard,” Rose admitted as she licked her lips. “I won’t pretend that it isn’t. Firstly in order for it to happen, you have to die, and I’ll never be at ease or happy with that. Something will happen that I won’t be able to stop.” Rose swallowed and felt a rush of relief when she saw understanding dawn in the Doctor’s eyes. “Secondly, I know that you’ll be the Doctor, but there are always changes. You shake off one life and start another, and while I accept that, please understand that when it does happen, it is going to be difficult for me.”

“I’ll still be me, Rose,” the Doctor said. She could see confusion and understanding warring for control as he struggled with her words.

“Try to imagine never seeing my face again,” Rose offered gently as she squeezed his hand. “Never seeing this smile again. Even if I was still really here and had a new smile and still loved you. Are you saying that no part of you would miss this smile and these eyes?”

“I suppose I would miss that smile of yours,” the Doctor said. He sounded a bit choked up and maybe a touch unsure. His fingers tightened around her hand.

“This one?” Rose asked. Then she gave him a tongue touched smile and watched him swallow thickly.

“That’s the one.”

“And when you do regenerate…” Rose trailed off for a moment, squeezing his hands. “I know you’ll still be the Doctor, but I’ll miss this face. It doesn’t mean for a moment that I won’t still fiercely and deeply love you. Doesn’t mean that I’ll leave or won’t adjust. I will. I promise. When it happens, just try to remember this conversation. Understand that I still love you, but please recognize that I need to grieve for who you used to be just as much as I need to learn who you are now. Recognize that I can miss a former smile even as I share a happy moment with a new one.”

“I….” The Doctor had no idea of what to say to that. Something was happening far overhead, something that could risk Earth, and he was stuck waiting on the sidelines and being completely stunned by Rose Tyler for the millionth time. “How do you always say the right thing?”

“I don’t.” Rose laughed a little. That hair fell into her face again. The Doctor reached forward and brushed it behind her ear. “If you think about it, you’ll remember that I don’t.” Rose stepped closer and hugged him. “And things like this… I know you’re not big on talking things through, but if we’re going to make a relationship work, then sometimes we’re going to have to.”

“This is new for me,” the Doctor admitted. “I was married before, on Gallifrey.”

“I know.”

“It was very different than this.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Rose assured him. “It’s us, after all.” She adjusted her position and drew back just enough to look up at the Doctor. “Together.” Then she leaned up and kissed his cheek. “You go and check the TARDIS; I know you want to. I’ll send Jack out to go to bed and spend some time with Mum and Mickey.” Rose gave him a soft smile. “Thank you for doing dinner. It meant a lot to me.”

“You’re welcome,” the Doctor said softly. “And thank you.”

From her smile, the Doctor knew that Rose knew what he meant. And it reassured him that as strange as this new relationship was, they’d figure it out.


	8. Christmas Morning

Christmas on the Other Side

By Lumendea

Chapter Eight: Christmas Morning

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: A very Happy New Year to everyone. 2020 was tough and I hope that all of you have a bright 2021 ahead of you. I’m posting this early as a treat for everyone ringing in the new year. This is the last episode for the Christmas Special and I will return with the start of Unto the Universe on February 6th.

…………………..

Listening to her mother talk was oddly relaxing. Rose sank into the armchair that Jackie had purchased when they got the new house and let her mum’s voice wash over her. Mickey and Jack were dozing lightly on the sofa, having slumped against each other.

“Oh, and Mo sends her love,” Jackie said from the kitchen. Rose had offered to help with cleanup, but Jackie had refused. Having a lovely home had really transformed her mother’s standards of cleanliness. “She still thinks you’re traveling as some sort of technology in rural areas program. It was the best explanation that Mickey and I could think of. Given how you vanished after finishing school, we needed to explain it.”

“Sorry about that,” Rose answered. “But things are going really well.” She suddenly froze and sighed. “I’m sorry that I didn’t wrap up presents, Mum. Things were-”

“Hush!” Jackie reappeared in the living room and scowled at Rose before noticing Jack and Mickey. She instantly chuckled and smiled before looking back at Rose. “Don’t worry about me, love. I didn’t… I wasn’t sure if you’d be back. I tried to go shopping, but I couldn’t.” Jackie trailed off, and Rose jumped up.

Surging forward, Rose hugged her mother tightly. The woman clung to her, and there was a soft sob muffled into Rose’s shoulder. Guilt and worry tugged at Rose. She knew that she wasn’t going to stay to make sure that this didn’t happen again. In fact, she knew that it would happen again. Someday after the Doctor regenerated, she would vanish for an unknown length of time.

“I’m okay,” she offered. It wasn’t enough, and Rose knew it but didn’t know what she could say. “I’m sorry that I scared you. I’m sorry that this life comes with risks, but I love it.”

Jackie sniffed and didn’t say anything more. A yawn escaped her, and Jackie shuddered and stretched. Then she turned to look properly at Mickey and Jack. “Mickey sometimes stays in the guest room, but your friend may prefer to sleep on the ship.”

“He knows the way if he wakes up,” Rose told her. She hugged her mum with one arm. “But you’re tired, Mum. I’ll finish up in the kitchen, and you can go to bed.”

“Will you stay in the house?” Jackie probably tried to sound casual, but Rose could hear the hope in her mum’s voice and nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll be in my room. I’ll just slip out to say goodnight to the Doctor and then come back in.”

Rose did as she said and finished cleaning up the kitchen. Through the window, she could see the TARDIS silently waiting in the back garden. A yawn escaped Rose, and she looked at the clock. It wasn’t truly that late, but the lack of sleep over the past few days was catching up with her. When the last of the dishes were put away, Rose stretched and grabbed a cardigan hanging next to the back door. Leaving the door unlocked behind her, Rose headed for the TARDIS and drew the key out from under her top. The door clicked open, and Rose walked inside. The Doctor’s legs were visible under the console, and she could hear him grumbling about something.

“I just came to say goodnight,” Rose said. The Doctor scurried out from underneath the console. “How is she?”

“Still fine,” the Doctor assured her. “Nothing is damaged. I was just tinkering.” He paused and glanced at the TARDIS screen, which showed a planet and a small dot above it. “Uh…”

“You’re tracking the ship?” Rose guessed.

“Just watching it. I won’t go up, and it shouldn’t need any intervention from on planet, but just in case.”

“I know a losing fight when I see one,” Rose sighed. “Just don’t get involved. I’m sure that we’ll manage it.”

“We’d better,” the Doctor replied dryly. “A ship like that crashing into Earth would be an extinction event.”

“And with that fresh in my mind, I’m going to get some sleep.” Rose paused. “Mum wants me to sleep in the house. I agreed, so if you need me.”

“Sleep well,” the Doctor said gently.

He started to step towards her, but then stopped himself. Rose almost laughed, but she was at a bit of a loss here too. She’d only ever had one real romantic relationship, and it was with the man in front of her, just further in the future. Still, she had a good feeling about what to do. Stepping forward, Rose raised a hand and touched the Doctor’s arm. He smiled and, reading her intention, leaned forward.

The kiss was brief and soft. Pleasant humming filled Rose’s brain and limb. The Doctor pulled back first, whispered good night to her, and then kissed her forehead.

“Sleep well, Rose,” he repeated.

“You get some rest, too,” Rose told him. “I know you don’t need as much as humans, but it’s been a rough couple of days.” She took a step back and then stopped. “Oh, and Jack’s asleep on the sofa inside, so he might stumble in at some point.”

She left the TARDIS before the urge to linger turned into the urge to stay. Her mother wasn’t asking for much to have Rose spend the night in the house. Under the circumstances, it made sense that Jackie might want to check on her.

As it turned out, Jackie was still awake upstairs and smiled in relief when Rose passed her room. While Rose knew she wouldn’t sleep as well here as in her bed in the TARDIS, she was pleased that she was able to make her mum happy. Climbing into her old school break bed, Rose sighed and stared up at the ceiling.

“I hope things are going well up on that ship,” Rose murmured. She glanced at her phone, which was sitting on her night table. No calls and no updates. Groaning, Rose rolled over and pulled her duvet over her head, determined not to think about it.

………………

The Doctor flinched when the TARDIS sensors began beeping rapidly. He jolted and knocked his head against the underside of the TARDIS. A curse escaped him as he scrambled out and to his feet. Grabbing the screen, the Doctor turned it so he could see.

“What the-”

Something was entered the atmosphere fast. The TARDIS beeped again, and a new station feed appeared, reporting the large unidentified object heading towards Earth. The Doctor scowled and started to reach for the controls before stopping himself.

He wasn’t supposed to get involved. But his future self, this body or another one, seemed to be making a mess of things. There wasn’t much time to decide. He dropped his hand back to his side and glared at the screen, switching it back to the sensor display. Was Rose okay up there?

“Doctor!” Jack’s shout drew his attention to the door before it was pushed open. Jack came rushing in. “Mickey’s phone just received a UNIT alert! He went to see Spock; what’s going on?”

“The blasted ship is crashing,” the Doctor growled. “Where’s Rose?”

Did he need to grab the Tylers and evacuate them? But there was also Sarah Jane and the Chestertons to consider. The Time Lord felt the weight of time pressing him down. Early sunrise light was spilling into the TARDIS behind Jack.

“I’ll get Rose and Jackie,” the Doctor said. “Go to Sarah Janes and get her lot moving. Just in case.”

Jack nodded, slipping into soldier mode and rushing out the door. The Doctor followed, leaving the door open in case a quick escape proved necessary. He unlocked the kitchen door of the Tyler house with the sonic screwdriver. Jackie was already awake and sitting at the kitchen table in a horrid pink dressing gown.

“Doctor!”

“Where is Rose?” the Doctor demanded.

“Getting dressed, why, what’s wrong?”

“Doctor?”

Rose appeared in the kitchen doorway, dressed in jeans and one of her science t-shirts. She took one look at the Doctor’s face and tensed.

“It’s the ship, isn’t it?”

“It’s crashing,” the Doctor said. “I suggest we go to the TARDIS just in case.”

Jackie paled, horror filling her eyes. “What about the others?”

“Jack is getting Sarah Jane’s lot.”

“What about Rani and Clyde?” Jackie demanded. Rose was already pulling out her phone.

“Jackie, I’m sorry, but we don’t have much time.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Rose told her mother. “Our future selves are up there, and they would have warned us if things were going to go badly.” The Doctor wasn’t sure about that. Rose looked at him, and he wasn’t sure what to say. Her expression darkened, and she slowly nodded. “Let’s go outside. I just texted Rani and Clyde, and they know how to move fast. Just in case.”

The Doctor nodded in relief. Jackie’s horror shifted to rage, but Rose got her into a coat, and they moved out to the street. The Doctor opened the back gate and eyed the TARDIS. They would have a straight shot to the ship if necessary. His gut turned. He wasn’t sure. This wasn’t supposed to happen, but sometimes history didn’t stay on track. Was this one of those times? Was the Monk up there? That rogue Time Lord was still out there in the universe somewhere with the Eternals.

“They would have told us if we need to run,” Rose said softly. “Given they already crossed timelines and called us.”

The Doctor wanted to agree. He looked up into the sky as a rumbling began to echo through the area. Jackie whimpered and looked up as the front door of Sarah Jane’s house was flung open. Sarah Jane, Johnny, and the Chestertons were all dressed, and Sarah Jane was cradling a Xylok crystal in her arms as her children followed her. The Doctor was grateful when Jack pointed them out and hurried the group to join them. Mickey brought up the back, walking while talking on the phone with a serious and worried face.

“What is happening?” Ian demanded.

“The ship is crashing,” the Doctor said. “Be ready to run for the TARDIS.”

“But-” Fear filled Barbara’s face. “You can’t-”

“Just in case,” the Doctor said to cut off any argument.

The rumbling overhead did not put Rose at ease, but she trusted the Doctor. She trusted herself. Still, everyone was looking up. Rose could still hear the television report and hoped that chaos wouldn’t overtake the streets. Christmas was stressful enough as it was, and this wasn’t going to help.

A bright light appeared, and Rose’s eyes narrowed on it. She knew it wasn’t a star, but it wasn’t moving like a satellite. The bright light grew brighter and brighter in the night sky. A strange, pounding sound filled the sky as the object shoved air out of its path. Rose’s eyes tried to take in the shape as her mother began shrieking.

“It’s gonna hit!” Jackie screamed. “It’s gonna hit us! We need to go!”

Rose tried not to be worried. She’d been contacted by her future self, so if that thing hit the Earth, hit London, then she’d be dead and unable to make that phone call. Still, she tightened her grip on the Doctor’s hand. Knowing that intellectually and calming the natural instinct to be afraid were two different things.

Others were pouring out of their houses onto the road, pointing up into the sky fearfully and gripping their children. It hadn’t moved yet, hadn’t pulled up or changed course. Rose caught Sarah Jane looking their way a touch nervously as she pulled Skye a little closer to her. Rani and Clyde appeared in the street out their doors, shouting at their parents to get moving as they both ran over to join Luke. The college student began to explain what was happening to his friends, but Rose didn’t pay much attention.

She could see it now. It was a ship. It was honest to the Guardians of the Universe ship that looked exactly like the old photos of streamliners. Jackie shrieked as the monstrous mass pulled up with the hull still gleaming red from the heat of entry in places and began to soar back into the sky. Cheers erupted all down the road, and Skye started jumping around, clapping. A soft sigh of relief escaped Rose, and she looked up at the Doctor.

“I wonder how long we have to wait to find out what that was all about?”

“Not too long, I hope,” the Doctor grumbled. “I didn’t like this whole waiting and staying out of the action.” He gestured with this freehand. “Surprisingly stressful.”

“Yeah,” Rose weakly agreed.

Their friends were cheering, and Sarah Jane hugged Johnny, still mindful of the disconnected Spock she was carrying. Rani ran over to comfort her mum even as the women started screaming at Haresh and hugging the man desperately. Clyde ran to his mum was gripping a cup of something hot and staring at the sky with a slack jaw.

“Well, at least we know that we’ll figure it out.”

“Cut it a little close,” the Doctor grumbled. He looked up into the sky with a slight frown. “I wonder if I’m still in this body when that happens.”

“I don’t know,” Rose answered. “It-uh- didn’t come up.”

Now she wondered if this was before or after she vanished. Probably before as otherwise, the Doctor would remember it and expect it. Time travel was marvelous and exciting, but some things were very complicated. Rose leaned up and pressed a soft kiss against the Doctor’s lips. He smiled at her and released her hand to put his hand on her lower back.

“Awww,” Jack cooed. “You two are too cute.”

As one, Rose and the Doctor turned to narrow their eyes at Jack. The traitor had his phone out and was recording them while Sarah Jane beamed behind him and peered over his shoulder.

“Send that one to Jo,” Sarah Jane offered unhelpfully. “And Teagan. And Ace.” The reporter’s eyes were even sharper than before, and the smile on her face terrified Rose. “I’ll make sure you have everyone’s numbers.”

“I think I already do,” Jack offered as if he wasn’t receiving death glares. “Jo gave me a list.”

“Well, we’ll double-check it against mine. Just to be sure.”

“Sarah,” the Doctor said warningly.

“You don’t scare me, Doctor,” Sarah Jane replied. She grinned and turned to Jackie. “We best finish up the preparations.”

“Yeah,” Jackie agreed a bit weakly. Then she rallied and shook herself. “Might want to call the neighbors. After that, maybe a street celebration is in order.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sarah Jane laughed. “I don’t think the police would fancy being called over because of one of your parties.”

“I doubt we’d be the only ones,” Jackie huffed.

There were chuckles, and Rose’s mum turned to hug her tightly after giving the Doctor a look, which led to him releasing Rose. Jackie then spun away and hurried over towards Gita and Rani, waving them down and talking in a loud, excited voice. The Doctor immediately stepped back next to Rose and took her hand.

Jack giggled. Honestly, to goodness giggled and messed with his phone again, drawing Rose’s attention back to him. The Doctor was glaring at their companion, who looked far too happy to be worried about anything. Rose understood that a bit. Her own head was fuzzy with relief and warm, bubbling happiness. Then Jack waved a little and put his phone back into his jacket.

“I’m done for now.”

“We will leave you here, Jack,” the Doctor said.

“No, you won’t,” Jack laughed. “One, Rose wouldn’t let you, and two, you’ll want to see these photos. Seriously, Doc, so cute.”

“Let me leave him,” the Doctor said, turning to Rose. “Just you and me?”

“That is tempting,” Rose admitted. Jack actually appeared a little nervous in the corner of her eye. “But he is so useful when helping with repairs. I think we’d miss him.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes. He wouldn’t miss Jack at all. Rose chuckled at whatever expression was on his face and leaned up to kiss him again.

*** Guardians of the Universe will Return Feb. 6th with Unto the Universe***

The new season will include rewrites of New Earth, The Doctor’s Wife, Cold War and 42, Arthur Conon Doyle guest starring, the return of the Meddling Monk, and a very special original episode to finally provide answers about Rose! In the meantime, take care of yourselves and have a very happy New Year!


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